Death Rituals
In Hinduism, there is a high value placed on the family. When someone is near death, decisions are placed on the family members, specifically those who are older and the eldest son. All affairs should be in order, the person should be at peace with the death, and their last words are treasured deeply. When a Hindu is about to die, their body should be placed on the ground (preferably at home) facing east to close the gap between earth and sky. Lamps and statues may be placed at bedside and a Brahmin priest may recite mantras with the dying. It is believed that if the last word that leaves a Hindu's mouth is "Om," that this assures moksha. Meanwhile, family and friends will chant hymns and prayers in their right ear. Water from the Ganges River in India is often offered to the dying and the water and a tulsi leaf are then placed in the mouth of the person after death for purification.
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Once the person has died, a Brahmin priest would perform rituals and then the body ideally would be brought home or to the Ganges River to be bathed and clothed by their family. Family members of the same sex prepare the body by applying sandal paste to the body, dressing it either in a red cloth, new clothes, or their wedding clothes, and adorning it in jewels. Their body would then be placed in the entryway of the home with their head facing south. The next step is for the body to be placed on a bamboo bier and carried to the site of cremation, which should occur between 24 and 48 hours after death. Hindus are cremated because they only place value on the soul, not the body. All of the family goes to retrieve the ashes in a ceremony called Asthi-Sanchayana. The family then bathes upon return home and then spreads the ashes into the Ganges River, or another body of water if the Ganges River cannot be reached, which acts as a sort of funeral service.
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The following days are considered days of impurity. The time of impurity can vary dependent on the caste system, with the lower casts having a longer time of impurity. The entire house must be cleaned and a pot of water must be placed in the doorway and be changed every day for 31 days. On the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth days, the person's favorite foods are prepared for the family to eat and a small amount of the food should be left out for the deceased. Because family is such a valuable aspect of Hinduism, the days following are very important to those close to the dead.
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