| Hindus believe that life and death are an eternal circle. | | | | lead by the eldest son or nearest male relative of the |
| After life comes death, then reincarnation and so on, | | | | deceased, who will light the fire and will circle the |
| until, in some circumstances the soul can be set free | | | | pyre praying for the soul of the dead person. The |
| from that eternal circle. One such circumstance, is the | | | | exact order of service may vary depending on |
| person dying in or near the holy city of Varanasi in | | | | location and family traditions. The ashes are often |
| North East India, where the funeral ghats are beside | | | | sprinkled on water and some families go to the River |
| the sacred River Ganges. | | | | Ganges to do this to ensure the most auspicious |
| Hindus also believe that cremation allows the spirit to | | | | passage to the next life. |
| move on to its next incarnation and therefore nearer | | | | The house of the deceased will be cleansed and |
| to heaven. Thus, although death is a sad event to | | | | purified by a priest using spices and incense and the |
| Hindus, the emphasis is more on the soul's onward | | | | 13 days of mourning will begin. During this time, there |
| journey and that is celebrated. The flames of the | | | | will often be a picture of the deceased on display, |
| funeral pyre are said to represent Brahama, the Hindu | | | | garlanded with flowers and friends will come to the |
| God of Creation. | | | | house to offer their condolences. Mourners will wear |
| After a death, the family of the deceased will meet | | | | white. On the 13th day, the ceremony of Kria is |
| as soon as possible to pray by the body. The body | | | | performed, which involves the offering of rice balls |
| will not be touched if possible, as a corpse is | | | | and milk in thanksgiving for the life of the deceased, |
| considered to be unclean. | | | | after which, life for the family returns to normal. |
| The deceased will be normally be dressed in white (a | | | | One year after the death and sometimes every year |
| wife pre-deceasing her husband is dressed in her red | | | | thereafter, Shraddah takes place, where the family |
| bridal outfit) and will be placed on a bier and | | | | offer food to the poor and needy in memory of the |
| decorated with flowers and sandalwood. | | | | deceased. |
| The funeral service will be conducted by a priest and | | | | |