India - Scattering Ashes

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Gandhi’s ashes urn stolen

Gandhi’s ashes urn stolen Gandhi’s ashes urn stolen. Mahatma Gandhi, considered by many Indians to be ‘the father of the Nation’, has had his 150th Birthday celebrations slightly marred. An urn containing a portion of his ashes was stolen from the Bapu Bhawan memorial in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and a poster of the…

Hindu Scattering Service on the Ganges in India

The Hindu population of the UK increases year on year, in the last census in 2011 817,000 people in England and Wales identified themselves as Hindus which is 1.5% of the population. A proportion of these would loved to have their ashes placed in the Ganges in India after their death. For some time we have…

Ashes stored in an Ashes Bank in Uttar Pradesh’s India

There is now a solution for a problem that a number of Hindus face. According to some certain traditions ashes of a cremated relative can’t be taking home for 14 days. So what do the families do with the ashes in between cremation and when they can take them home? So Yug Dadhichi Deh Dan…

Aussie Cricketer in a wonderful act of charity

I can’t say I haven’t always been that charitable towards the Australian cricket team, today I have been humbled by Steve Waugh the ex-captain of Australia for his wonderful act of kindness. Mr Waugh is often going to and from India from his wider charity work this time he had a special reason to visit.…

Mar Thoma Syrian Church – Cremation is now allowed

The various religions in the world is a constant source of wonder to me. The various sects seems never ending, here is a new one on me, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church – never heard of it? It has over a million followers. Although as religions go this fairly unique. It is a Syrian Christian…

The mystery of the ashes of the Indian nationalist Netaji

Subhas Chandra Bose, known more commonly as just Netaji is a famous figure in the Indian nationalist movement. During the second world war he pursued a number of routes to try and get the British out of Indian, first courting the Germans and then the Japanese however when his military campaign didn’t work, he decided…

The environmental cost of cremation in India

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I would argue that the environmental impact of cremation is less than burial, there is a need to compare two issues which are difficult to equate – Carbon versus land-take. I think the land-take is a more significant issue. The argument is even more in favour of cremation if the energy source is renewable. However the…

A festival that involves throwing cremation ash at one another

Varanasi, India is famous and unique. A holy Hindu city whose principal business is death, many families take their loved ones to be cremated there, while western eyes may view it as macabre, the locals have a very different take. Reincarnation is a fundamental part of the Hindu religion so moving from this life to…

Crazy way to cure an illness: with cremation ashes!

I am not saying Western Medicine is the be-all and end-all, but some supposed cures and remains are just plain bonkers. In Salepur, situated in Odisha north east India, a self-styled godman has come up with an interesting approach to aliments. Pretend you are dead, the evil spirits will think you are dead and then…

Prominent Indian Hindu to have his ashes scattered in a number of holy rivers

The ashes of late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, cremated late last month are to be scattered in a number of symbolically religious rivers across India. Mr Thackeray ‘s wishes were that his cremation ashes would be immersed in holy rivers at Harihareshwar, Nashik, Haridwar, Kashi, Kanyakumari and other places across the country. All…

Pakistani Hindus allowed visas to visit Haridwar to scatter ashes

Pakistani Hindu families have finally been granted visas to be allow them to scatter the ashes of their loved ones over the sacred Ganges river. There is a very small Hindu community in Karachi that had been trying for years to be allowed to take the ashes to Haridwar, but there was no chance…

Origins of scattering cremated ashes Part II: Jat Tribe

The origins of scattering cremated ashes, as one might imagine, are claimed by a number of customs and religions. A few weeks ago I wondered whether Norse Mythology came first, since then I have had a couple of people suggesting different origins and describing where this custom might also have originated. The Jat tribes…

Scattering cremated ashes over the waters of the Ganges

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The river Ganges and cremation are intrinsic parts to the Hindu religion. Hinduism has spread across the globe and not all worshipers can have have their ashes spread over the Ganges. In Britain those of a Hindu faith may adopt a local river for the purpose, popular locations are Leicester, Kingston, Windsor However, some followers would…