Skip to main content

Covid fear? Cremation rituals gone upside down, Dalits asked to do Brahminical rituals

By Abhay Jain, Sandeep Pandey* 

As Covid consumes human life in a very conspicuous way we are confronted with additional problem of disposing of human corpses. Cremation grounds are lit with continuous pyres, graveyards are running out of land and now Ganga has become a mass grave potentially polluting its water.
In India, one estimate reveals that funeral pyres consume 6 crore trees annually and plays a huge role in deforestation in country. Air pollution and deforestation are not the only environmental threats caused by cremation. They also generate large quantities of ash -- around 50 lakh tonnes - which are later thrown into rivers, adding to the toxicity of their waters. Hence the ash was already polluting the water of Ganga before we became alarmed by the scenes of floating human corpses.
Prolonged burning of fossil fuels for cremation results in around 80 lakh tonnes of Carbon Dioxide or Green House Gas emissions per year according to one estimate. It creates different hazardous gases, including dental mercury, which is vaporized and released into the environment leading to health hazards in the surrounding area. Many of these toxins can bioaccumulate in humans, including mercury (often from dental amalgams, but also from general bioaccumulation in the body).
Cremation results in various other toxic emissions including persistent pollutants such as Volatile Organic Compounds, Particulate Matter, Sulfur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides and heavy metals. An Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, 2016 study concludes that open air cremations contribute 4% of Carbon Monoxide emissions in Delhi.
There are concerns for crematory workers as well, who may be exposed to nuclear medicine treatments (chemotherapeutics/radiation), orthopaedic (implants) and pacemaker explosions, and nanoparticles.
In the Rig Veda, a hymn, traditionally recited by a priest or an adult male, urges Agni, the Vedic god of fire, to “carry this man to the world of those who have done good deeds.” From the perspective of Hindu, Jain, and Sikh rituals, the act of cremation is seen as a sacrifice, a final breaking of the ties between the body and the spirit so it may be free to reincarnate. 
Now it also differentiates Hindus from Muslims, Christians and Parsis. And even upper caste Hindus from lower class Hindus, who were generally buried. It was seen as right rather than rite. The lower castes often use the phrase ‘mitti’ for a human corpse, implying the dead body has already become earth even before the actual process happens.
In order to tackle the environmental problems stemming from these sites, the Indian government and environmental groups have, over the years, promoted the use of electric crematoriums as an alternative way of cremation.
But these systems, which do not create pollution on site but are polluting where the electricity is being generated from thermal power plants which are still the biggest source of power for India, have by-and-large failed, mainly due to financial and religious reasons. They are expensive to run but, crucially, traditional rituals - such as kapal kriya, where a stick or long bamboo pole is used to crack open the burning skull to free soul from its earthly existence -- are impossible.
Mokshda, a Delhi based Non-Governmental Organisation working to reduce the environmental impact of funeral pyres, describes its creation of an alternate energy efficient “green cremation system” by maintaining that a body can burn completely in lesser time and with lesser wood than usual. 
Mokshda’s green cremation system consists of a human-sized grate beneath a roof and a chimney which reduces heat loss. Here the wood is placed on the metal slats, which enables better air circulation around the flames.
It is also easier to transition from one cremation to another by removing the metal tray filled with ash and replacing it with a new tray containing the next body. One of the big advantages of this system is that mourners can continue to fulfill all traditional rites. 
It is believed that a traditional pyre takes about six hours and requires 500-600 kilograms of wood to burn a body completely, while this alternative system takes up to two hours and 150-200 kilograms of wood to burn a body and the emissions are reduced up to 60%, The organization has 50 such units spread around nine Indian states.
However, Covid time has already altered a number of traditional practices. In some cases young women may be the only ones available to light the funerary pyre, which was previously not permissible.
Families in quarantine are forced to use WhatsApp and other video software to visually identify the body and recite digital funerary rites. In most cases of Covid deaths, crematorium workers, who are mostly Dalits, have been asked to read prayers traditionally reserved for Brahmin priests or people from a higher caste as the relatives and priests are afraid of going near the body.
Green burial is without using embalming fluids or toxic chemicals of any kind. The grave is often dug by hand. The body is simply placed in an unbleached cloth shroud rather than a casket. This allows the corpse to decompose naturally, returning its sustenance to the Earth. Many green burial grounds also act as wildlife refuges, creating safe spaces for animals and native plant life.
Families in quarantine are forced to use WhatsApp and other video software to visually identify the body and recite digital funerary rites
Among the Gond community, one of India’s largest tribal group, burial, or Mitti Sanskar, was a common practice which, over the decades, gave way to cremation as the tribal community assimilated with the Hindu communities. However, the Gond community, has now decided to bury instead of cremating their dead, with an aim to reduce the number of trees cut for funeral pyres.
It is believed in the community that through this ritual, the body mixes with five basic elements of nature: earth, air, water, fire and space. Also, Lingayats — ardent Shiva devotees and followers of the 12th century saint Basavanna — do not cremate their dead. Instead, the departed are buried in deep pits in a sitting, meditative position with a linga (symbol of Shiva) in the right hand.
In Tibet and other areas nearby, Buddhists practice a death ritual meant to encourage good karma. They take bodies to charnel grounds where vultures come to eat the flesh, offering back to the world what was taken in life: meat. 
It's believed that the practice encourages the dead to move along to the next life without being held back by one’s greatest attachment—their physical body. Ritual aside, it’s a practical answer due to the scarcity of wood and usable burial grounds (the rocky earth makes it hard to dig).
Although a bit controversial but utilitarian alternative is human composting, the process of transforming bodies into soil, naturally. Farmers have practiced livestock composting for decades. Wood chips, moisture and breeze combine to expedite the natural process of decay into nutrient-rich soil. As soon as 30 days later, a dead cattle transforms into (roughly) a cubic yard of soil.
In the United States 6% people prefer to donate their bodies after death to medical science institutions. In India too the percentage of people donating bodies or organs after death is very low.
In Anandvan, set up by the late Baba Amte, everyone after death, irrespective of their religion, is buried with a sapling planted on top and no permanent or semi-permanent structure built. The problem of land for burial can be solved in Covid times by using the land alongside Railway tracks or highways. After some years the saplings will provide shade and possibly fruits.
---
*Abhay Jain is an engineer-entrepreneur; Sandeep Pandey is Vice President, Socialist Party (India)

Comments

TRENDING

Importance of Bangladesh for India amidst 'growing might' of China in South Asia

By Samara Ashrat*  The basic key factor behind the geopolitical importance of Bangladesh is its geographical location. The country shares land borders with Myanmar and India. Due to its geographical position, Bangladesh is a natural link between South Asia and Southeast Asia.  The country is also a vital geopolitical ally to India, in that it has the potential to facilitate greater integration between Northeast India and Mainland India. Not only that, due to its open access to the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh has become significant to both China and the US.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'BBC film shows only tip of iceberg': Sanjiv Bhatt's daughter speaks at top US press club

By Our Representative   The United States' premier journalists' organisation, the National Press Club (NPC), has come down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recent "attacks on journalists in India." Speaking at the screening of an episode of the BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question,” banned in India, in the club premises, NPC President Eileen O’Reilly said, “Since Modi came to power we have watched with frustration and disappointment as his regime has suppressed the rights of its citizens to a free and independent news media."

Regional political dynamics 'leading to' institutional violence in SAARC University

By Sandeep Pandey*  South Asian University is a university set up in Delhi by member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives – which is open to students from all these countries. However, as SAARC is receiving little attention these days because of regional political dynamics, it appears as if SAU has lost significance too. Because of the hiatus in peace process between India and Pakistan, the Board of Governors of this University is dysfunctional.

Natural farming: Hamirpur leads the way to 'huge improvement' in nutrition, livelihood

By Bharat Dogra*  Santosh is a dedicated farmer who along with his wife Chunni Devi worked very hard in recent months to convert a small patch of unproductive land into a lush green, multi-layer vegetable garden. This has ensured year-round supply of organically grown vegetables to his family as well as fetched several thousand rupees in cash sales.

Over-stressed? As Naveen Patnaik turns frail, Odisha 'moves closer' to leadership crisis

By Sudhansu R Das  Not a single leader in Odisha is visible in the horizon who can replace Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He has ruled Odisha for nearly two and half decades. His father, Biju Patnaik, had built Odisha; he was a daring pilot who saved the life of Indonesia’s Prime Minister Sjahrir and President Sukarno when the Dutch army blocked their exit.

Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Ban Ki-moon, others ask Bangladesh PM to 'protect' Yunus

Counterview Desk  A campaign has been launched to support Bangladesh-based economist, micro-finance guru and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, seeking signatures from citizens across the globe in order to “protect” his work, life and safety.

Electricity sharing opens up new window for India’s eastern neighbourhood engagement

By Sufian Asif* Today, challenges like climate change, pandemics, energy reliance, economic crisis, and many more are concerning us. No nation can overcome these obstacles without the assistance and collaboration of other nations. Most importantly, many of these problems have international repercussions. South Asia is facing much more difficulty when compared to other regions. In South Asia, we have some regional organizations, but they are ineffective.

'Vulgar display of wealth': Govt of India using G20 presidency for political, electoral gains

Counterview Desk  Seeking endorsement for a public statement on India's G20 Presidency, several people’s movements, trade unions and other civil society groups have come together to say that not only will G20 and its priorities “will worsen economic, social and climate crisis”, already, India’s presidency is being used “for vulgar display of pomp & for electoral gains.”