The third largest religion in the world is Hinduism with an estimated one billion followers. One of the unique characteristics of the religion is that it does not have a common creed or a founder. The religion is mostly adopted in Asian countries and emphasizes on the idea that God exists within each being and object. The purpose of life, according to Hinduism, is to ensure that human beings realize their divinity. Therefore, when an individual dies, their soul is regarded not to have a beginning or an end. According to the Hindu funeral customs, when a person dies, the body stays at home until it's time for cremation. All this happens within 24 hours following the death of the individual (Laungani, 2015).
At the funeral service known as "wake," mourners are allowed to dress casually. The most preferred color for both males and females is white. Unlike in many religions, black is considered inappropriate for this occasion. The deceased person is put on an open casket and presented to the "Karta" or the priest, who presides over the proceedings. Mantras and hymns characterize the ceremony with offerings and sacrifices made to the ancestors. Whereas flowers are allowed during the proceedings, food is not part of their custom. Members are allowed to view the body put in the open casket.
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The funeral ceremony is usually conducted is conducted by the Hindu priest and other senior members of the family. The guests from other faiths can attend but are not expected to do so. Ten days after cremation, a ceremony is conducted at the home of the deceased to mark the liberation of their soul and allow it ascension to heaven. The mourning period continues for the next 10 to 30 days (Laungani, 2015). The position of the women in the Hindu funeral is convoluted. Traditionally, women are not permitted to attend the funerals. However, most modern Hindus only prohibit the woman at the area of cremation. In some instances, especially when a woman was the only child, they are allowed to light the cremation fire (Laungani, 2015).
Reference
Laungani, A. (2015). Death in a Hindu family. In Death and bereavement across cultures (pp. 52-70). Routledge.
