Within Hinduism there are a number of sects, subsects, and regional variations with differing

beliefs.

Generally, Hindus believe that life and death are part of the concept of samsara, or rebirth. The
ultimate goal for many Hindus is to become free from desire, thereby escaping samsara and
attaining moksha, the transcendent state of salvation. Once moksha is attained, the soul will be
absorbed into Brahman, the divine force and ultimate reality.

When Death Is Imminent

When a Hindu is approaching death, a priest should be contacted and the priest and the family
should gather to be with the dying person. Those present should chant mantras or play a
recording of mantras being chanted. When death seems imminent, the body should, if possible,
be transferred to a grass mat on the floor. A small amount of water from the Ganges River should
be placed in the dying persons mouth. If this is not possible before death, then these actions
should take place immediately following the death.

After Death Has Occurred

As soon as death occurs, those gathered will avoid unnecessary touching of the body, as it is seen
as impure.

When To Hold A Hindu Funeral

Preparations for the funeral begin immediately. The funeral should take place as soon as
possibletraditionally, by the next dusk or dawn, whichever occurs first. A priest should be
contacted and can help guide in the decision-making process and direct the family to a Hindu-
friendly funeral home.

Organ Donation
Organ donation is acceptable for Hindus, as there are no Hindu laws prohibiting organ or tissue
donation.

Embalming
Embalming is acceptable in Hinduism.

Preparing The Body

Traditionally, the body is washed by family members and close friends. Many Hindu funeral
homes recognize the importance of the family washing the body and will allow the family to
prepare the body. If this is not possible, the funeral home may wash and dress the body. For the
ritual washing, the deceaseds head should be facing southward. A lighted oil lamp as well as a
picture of the deceaseds favorite deity should be kept by the deceaseds head. Traditionally, for
the abhisegam (holy bath), the body is washed in a mixture of milk, yogurt, ghee (clarified
butter), and honey. The body may also be washed in purified water. While the body is being
washed, those washing should recite mantras. Once the body is sufficiently cleaned, the big toes
should be tied together, the hands should be placed palm-to-palm in a position of prayer, and the
body should be shrouded in a plain white sheet. If the person who died was a married woman
who died before her husband, she should be dressed in red.

Viewing, Wake, Or Visitation Before A Hindu Funeral

Hindus generally hold a brief wake before cremation. The body should be displayed in a simple,
inexpensive casket. Vibuti (ash) or chandanam (sandalwood) should be applied to the
forehead of a man, and turmeric should be applied to the forehead of a woman. A garland of
flowers should be placed around the neck, and holy basil should be placed in the casket. During
the wake, family and friends gather around the casket and may recite hymns or mantras. At the
end of the wake, before the body is removed for cremation, many Hindus place pinda (rice
balls) near the casket. At the end of the wake, the casket is removed feet-first and brought to the
place of cremation.

To learn more about viewings, wakes, and visitations, see our article Viewings, Wakes, and
Visitations.

Cremation
Traditionally, all Hindusexcept babies, children, and saintsare cremated.

Traditionally, the casket is carried on a stretcher and walked to the cremation site, though it is
acceptable to transport the body in a vehicle. If a vehicle, such as a hearse, is used for
transportation, the eldest male relative (known as karta) and another male family elder should
accompany the casket. It is customary that only men attend the cremation.

Historically, Hindu cremations take place on the Ganges River in India. The family builds a pyre
and places the body on the pyre. The karta will circle the body three times, walking counter-
clockwise so that the body stays on his left, and sprinkling holy water on the pyre. Then the karta
will set the pyre on fire and those gathered will stay until the body is entirely burned. For Hindus
living outside of India, there are companies that will arrange for the shipment of the body to
India and hold a traditional cremation with a proxy karta.

In the United States, only crematories may cremate bodies. However, most crematories will
allow for ceremonies before the cremation and will allow for guests to be present at the
cremation itself. Thus, most of the rituals may still be observed. The body should be brought into
the crematorium feet-first, ideally with the feet facing south. Those gathered may pray, and then
the karta will perform the ritual circling of the body. At this point, the body is ready for
cremation, and should be placed into the incinerator feet-first. When the body has been fully
cremated, those gathered will return home.

Post-Funeral Reception
Upon returning home, all family members will bathe and change into fresh clothes. Then the
family will gather for a meal. A priest may visit the family at home and purify the house with
incense.

Hindu Mourning Period And Memorial Events

The day after the cremation, the karta will return to the crematory and collect the ashes.
Traditionally, the ashes should be immersed in the Ganges River, though more and more other
rivers are becoming acceptable substitutes. For Hindus living outside of India, there are
companies that will arrange for the shipment of the cremated remains to India and will submerge
the ashes in the Ganges.

The cremation of the deceased marks the beginning of the mourning period, which lasts for 13
days. During this time, the family of the deceased will stay at home and receive visitors, though
mourning rituals may differ depending on the community. A photograph of the deceased may be
prominently displayed, and a garland of flowers may be placed on the photograph. Throughout
the mourning period, the rite of preta-karma will be performed, which assists the disembodied
spirit of the deceased to obtain a new body for reincarnation.

One year after the death, the family will observe a memorial event called sraddha, which pays
homage to the deceased. The karta will invite Brahmins, members of the highest caste, to the
home and provide them with an elaborate meal, treating them as he would his own parents

India, home to over a billion people, is also home to a plethora of cultural and religious
traditions. The birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, India also hosts a large
number of followers of other major religions, including large Muslim and Christian populations.

This diversity of cultural and religious beliefs also creates a variety of traditions surrounding life
and death in the country. Different cultures have different beliefs regarding the purpose of
human life, as well as varying rituals surrounding the end of life and death. In honor of our week
devoted to India, well examine some of the rituals of these native religions in order to gain a
greater understanding of the culture.

Hinduism
 In the Bhagavad Gita, the sacred text of
Hinduism, the god Krishna explains that death is the passing of the solid into another body.
Hindus traditionally cremate their dead in order to facilitate this process of reincarnation.

After the death of a family member, loved ones are involved in the funeral planning, procession,
and burial or cremation of the body. Cremation is the preferred method for most Hindus,
although some exceptions are made. The bodies of deceased infants, for example, will
traditionally be buried rather than cremated.

When possible, the cremation ceremony is performed on the banks of the Ganges or other sacred
rivers, and the ashes are then scattered there.

The closest relative, typically the oldest son, preforms the last rite at the cremation site, lighting
the funeral pyre and guarantee the release from this world.

Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism, the most common Buddhist

tradition in India today, is centered around a belief in the cycle of suffering and rebirth, driven by
karma. The avoidance of unwholesome actions and the focus on positive actions drives the life of
the Buddhist, because these actions will plant karmic seeds that will come to fruition later in life
or in a subsequent existence.

Buddhism rejects the idea of an eternal soul or any permanent incarnation of self. Accoding to
the beliefs of Buddhism, rebirth is the continuation of a process whereby the self is integrated
with the rest of the universe, a process driven by cause and effect (karma). Rebirth is not the
same as reincarnation as in Hinduism whereby the independent, eternal soul passes from one
existence to the next. Rebirth, instead, is the continuation of the existence of the dependent soul.
Early Buddhists, including the Buddha, followed the Indian tradition of cremation after death,
and modern Buddhists, including those in the West, have followed suit. Before death, monks will
come to the Buddhist home to chant verses to comfort the dying person. These monks will stay
with the body after death and continue chants as the body is being prepared for cremation.

Buddhist cremations follow the Indian tradition of the funeral pyre, and this practice has even
made its way west with the religion.

Jainism

Though the total population of followers of Jainism in the world

is small by comparison to the worlds major religions, the majority of these followers up to 4.2
million in India. The religion is centered around a path of non-violence toward all living
beings. Distinct to the Jain belief is the refusal to kill animals, insects, or plants for food.

Core to Jainism is the belief that all living things have a soul, that every soul is potentially
divine, and we should therefore treat every living being as we do ourselves, harming none and
being kind to everyone.

Jains also believe in karma and rebirth, though with some variances from the Buddhist and
Hindu traditions. According to Jain belief, karma is divided into the destructive, which affects
the soul, and the non-destructive, which affects the body, with different kinds of karma within
each of these categories. The path of the soul is to lead to liberation from the cycle of rebirth and
death.

Karma in Jainism, like in Buddhism, is driven by actions in physical life. Depending on ones
karma, death can be rebirth into a physical body on earth, liberation into the highest level of
heaven, or enduring suffering in one of the eight hells. Unlike the image of hell in many other
major religions, the eight hells become progressively colder as they down in level, and suffering
in hell is not eternal. Once a soul has endured punishment, it can be reborn to another realm.
At the Jain deathbed and surrounding the body after death, a mantra is recited and hymns are
sung. The body is cremated within twenty-four hours of death. Before cremation, the Jain funeral
rites consist of a period of meditation for the peace of the soul, and a sermon and advice to those
present. After cremation, the ashes are traditionally scattered in the Ganges or another sacred
river.

Sikhism

Sikhism emphasizes a belief in the equality of all

humans, and a rejection of discrimination based on caste, creed, and gender. In this monotheistic
religion, God is a shapeless, timeless, and sightless entity. Sikh traditions and beliefs are driven
by the teachings of ten gurus from the Sanskrit for guide, teacher, or mentor the first being
Guru Nanak. Each guru added to and reinforced the lessons of the previous to create the resulting
Sikh religion.

At the end of life, an individual is encouraged to recite passages of scripture and focus on God
and the divine. After death, the funeral arrangements are made by the family, and include a
funeral ceremony followed by a complete reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. The body is
traditionally cremated, though other means of disposition may be employed if cremation is not
possible. The Sikh funeral ceremony is called Antam Sanskar, and is a celebration of the
completion of life, rather than a moment to mourn the passing of the individual. Sikhism
emphasizes a resignation to the will of the creator, and sees death as a natural process and an
opportunity to reunite the soul with its maker.

This brief overview, of course, only touches on the broad spectrum of cultural and spiritual
beliefs of this vast country. Continue to follow SevenPonds this week, as we further explore the
traditions of India and the impact of the life of Mohandas Gandhi, not only on this country, but
on the world in which we all live.

France

Death certificate
The death certificate (acte de dcs) provides information on where and when death took place but
does not indicate the cause of death. Numerous copies of the death certificate are provided; these may
be used when notifying authorities and service providers of the death. Once the death is registered, the
town hall issues a burial permit (permis d'inhumer) indicating the time and date of death. Burial may not
take place in the 24 hours following the death.

Practical information on managing a death at home from the Association Franaise

d'Information Funraire (AFIF)
Information on the procedure of a funeral home from AFIF
Information is also available from the Service Public website

Following the Death

The mairie issues a booklet detailing steps that must be taken to notify appropriate authorities. These
include, but are not limited to, the following (a copy of the death certificate may be required): Within
seven days, notify:

The deceased's employer

Health and life insurance companies
Bank (make special mention if the decesed is the partner of a jointly-held account)
Landlord (if the deceased was renting property)

Within 30 days, notify CPAM and return the deceased's carte vitale (green card). Within 6 months, notify
the tax office with reference to income tax declarations, the taxe foncire (if relevant) and taxe
d'habitation.
Cremation
Cremation in France must be authorised by the mayor of the location of death. Approval is granted if the
desire for cremation is stated in a will or in a non-legal document such as letter written by the deceased,
or if the closest family member (spouse or partner) requests cremation. It usually takes place in the
crematorium closest to the place of death, although the deceased may request in a letter signed prior to
death that the cremation take place in a different location. The family of the deceased may also request
that the body be cremated elsewhere. After cremation, the ashes are placed in an urn provided by
survivors of the deceased.

Dispersal of the ashes

Following cremation of a body, crematoria or places of worship may store the inurned ashes for up to
one year if necessary. If the ashes are not claimed after the year, they are scattered in the town where
the death took place in a space provided for this purpose. The ashes must not be divided. They can be:

conserved in the urn which may be buried or placed in a columbarium, or be sealed in a

monument or tomb within a cemetery
scattered in a designated area at a cemetery: most cemeteries and crematoria have a Garden of
Remembrance available for the scattering of ashes
scattered outdoors. It is forbidden for ashes to be scattered in a public pathway, road or river
(which is considered to be a public path). Approval is needed by the mairie in the town where
the deceased was born; the name of the deceased and the date the ashes were dispersed will
be recorded by the town hall (mairie)

It is illegal for inurned ashes to be held or stored outside of designated places of deposit or burial
(cemeteries and columbariums). This is not applicable to columbariums created before 31 July 2005.
Inurned ashess may be buried on private property if the property is outside of city limits, the location
meets municipal regulations and it is approved by the authorities.
Transporting ashes
Permission from the Prfet of the department or region where the casket was sealed prior to
cremation is required in order to transport ashes outside of metropolitan France or French overseas
territories. Inurned ashes are generally not allowed within the main cabin of commercial aircraft;
contact the airline directly for guidance. The crematorium can provide additional information about
transport.

The legal decree relating to funeral ashes can be found at LegiFrance (in French)
Further information, in English, from the Association Franaise d'Information Funraire

Burial
In France, burial (inhumation) without a coffin is prohibited. Burial in a commune's cemetery is
authorised by the Mayor. It must take place from 24 hours to six days (excluding Sundays and public
holidays) following the death. The departmental Prefect may issue a waiver if there is a problem
meeting the burial deadline. A burial may be organsied by a funeral parlour or the immediate family of
the deceased. Documents required are:

burial licence
burial certificate issued by the commune in which the death occurred

While there is a variation between communes, place in a cemetery, the "concession" can generally be
reserved for a period of 10 to 99 years. When a family is unable to pay the fee, shorter periods of five to
six years are made available free or at reduced cost. It is recommended that request for burial be made
at Town Hall of the intended commune of burial as soon after the death as possible. Within three
months of the burial, the grave site must be covered by a concrete slab. Following that, a decorative
tomb stone may be erected.
Burial on private ground
Burial may take place on private property with the permission of the Prefect of the property's
department. Certain conditions apply and the burial on private property must have been requested by
the deceased (in their will). The person making application to the Prefect must supply:

proof that a burial on private property meets the wishes of the deceased
a plan of the property (showing burial location and proximity of neighbours)
a geological/hydrologist's report approving the location (underground water and other soil
factors)
death certificate
doctor's certificate of death
burial certificate from the commune of the place of death

Repatriation of a Foreigner
Repatriation of a body to their home country may require the help of the relevant local embassy or
consulate. Consular officials can assist in having the remains returned, in obtaining appropriate
documentation and in inquiring about French exit requirements. A relative or a formally appointed
representative must instruct a funeral director in France or the home country of the deceased for a body
to be repatriated. If the deceased was insured it is necessary to contact the insurance company so that
they can make the necessary arrangements. If there is no insurance cover, funds for repatriation or
burial will need to be met by the family. Insurance may varies, but accommodation and travel for
relatives is usually covered. The length of time required for the repatriation of remains can vary greatly
and is determined by a number of factors including the cause of death and location of death. When
death is the result of natural causes, remains can be more quickly repatriated. When death is the result
of a crime, a suicide or an accident, repatriation of remains can take much longer. A body being
repatriated will have to be embalmed and enclosed in a zinc-lined "repatriation" coffin. This is sealed at
the point of departure by the gendarmes (port or airport authorities). The passport should always
remain with the deceased and travel with the body. Note: Recent changes to flight security means that
many airlines are no longer prepared to carry coffins.

French Death Traditions: A Note on the Door

A simple French death tradition calls for the community to leave a word of comfort at the door of the
bereaved