Hindu Funerals Hindu funerals in India Most Hindus are cremated as it is believed that this will help their soul to escape quickly from the body. The exact details of the funeral ceremonies, which form the last of the samskaras (rite of passage), vary according to tradition and place. Funerals are usually conducted by a priest and by the eldest son of the deceased. How the cremation takes place depends on where this happens. In the United Kingdom the coffin will be closed and taken to a crematorium. Various rituals may take place around the dead body: a lamp is placed by the head of the body prayers and hymns are sung pindas (rice balls) are placed in the coffin water is sprinkled on the body a mala (necklace of wooden beads) may be put around the dead person’s neck as may garlands of flowers. Every year after the death Shraddha usually takes place. At this ceremony food such  is offered to the poor and needy in memory of departed ancestors. Hindu funerals in India     A hindu funeral on the River Ganges In India people hope to have their funeral at sacred river Ganga. Here the body is placed on a large pile of wood, then the eldest son says the appropriate Vedic prayers and lights the fire. Incense and ghee (cooked and clarified butter) are poured into the flames. Prayers are said for the dead person: O Supreme light, lead us from untruth to truth, from darkness to light and from death to immortality. Afterwards the ashes of the deceased are sprinkled on water. Many people take the ashes to India to put on the waters of the Ganga; others may take them to the sea near to where they live. After the funeral the widow or widower will wear white as a sign of mourning. The close family may mourn for twelve days. On the thirteenth day the samskara (reincarnation) ends with the ritual of Kriya. During this, riceballs and milk are offered to the deceased to show the gratitude of the family for the life of that person. After this, the mourners can continue with their normal lives. It is not wrong to mourn for too long, as Hindus believe that each death brings the atman nearer to moksha.

Muslim Funerals Muslims try to bury the deceased as fast as possible and certainly within three days. The deceased’s body is washed and wrapped in a white cloth. Muslims prefer not to use a coffin but in some countries, such as the United Kingdom, this is not allowed. Bodies are buried facing Mecca (the Muslim holy city in Saudi Arabia, where Muhammad is believed to have been born). Then, once the body is in the ground, people say: From the earth have We created you, and into it We shall cause you to return and from it shall We bring you forth once more. Surah 20:55 Graves are raised above ground level so that the place of burial is clearly marked, and so that people do not walk on them by accident. Large tombstones and decorations are not usually found, but they are not forbidden. While people are standing by the grave the first Surah (a division of the Qur'an, like a chapter) of the Qur’an is read: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful. All types of perfect praise belong to Allah alone, the Lord of all the worlds, Most Gracious, Ever Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help. Guide us along the straight path - the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed. Surah 1 Muslims believe that there will be a physical resurrection on the Day of Judgement (yawm ad-din), so they dis- approve of  cremation Allah will put people’s bodies back together again.

Christian Funerals Christian funerals vary slightly according to the Christian denomination to which people belong. When a person dies their body is placed in a coffin. Sometimes this coffin is left open so that relatives can say a final goodbye. The coffin is then usually taken to a church or chapel. Here a priest will read from the Bible. The priest will also say a few words about the person which are designed to comfort the mourners and then say prayers, hoping that the person will now be in heaven. After the service, the coffin is taken from the church, either for burial or cremation: At a crematorium, more prayers are said and the coffin is then taken away to be cremated. Later the ashes are returned to relatives to be buried or scattered. At a burial the body is lowered into a hole in a cemetery and then covered with earth. Later a gravestone may be placed there giving some details of the person’s life. At both services the priest or minister will say, "We commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust". In this way people are reminded that we are all human and made by God. People often send flowers to a funeral to represent the beauty of the world which the dead person is about to enter. Candles are also lit to remind people that Jesus was the light of the world and that because of Jesus, Christians can be saved from their sins and go to heaven. Christians do not believe in reincarnation in any form.

Jewish Funerals When someone dies Jews say Kaddish (Kaddish is often called a funeral prayer but it is actually a prayer praising G-d). As soon as someone dies preparations are made for burial which must take place as quickly as possible: The body is washed and dressed in tachrichim, a simple white shroud. Men are also wrapped in their tallit (prayer shawl). The fringes are cut off the tallit to show that he is now free of the religious laws. The body is put in a plain wooden coffin which is sealed. From the time of death until burial, the body is never left alone. Before the burial the mourners make a tear in their garments - the act of keriah - to show their grief. The family return home to sit Shiva (meaning 'seven' - it's a seven-day mourning ritual). For the next seven days a candle is kept burning and the mirrors in the house are covered. The mourners stay at home; they do not shave or cut their hair and they sit on low stools. Kaddish is said three times a day. Shiva is broken only by the Sabbath or a Jewish festival. The thirty days after burial are called Sheloshim, when the mourners do not go out for pleasure and continue to mourn. For the next eleven months Kaddish is said every day. From then on, the dead person is remembered each year on the anniversary of their death by the lighting of a Yahrzeit candle and by reciting Kaddish. Just before the first anniversary a tombstone will be placed at the grave. When people visit a Jewish grave they place a small stone on the gravestone as a sign of respect. No flowers are given at a Jewish funeral and the service is short. Orthodox Jews do not usually allow cremation but Progressive Jews sometimes cremate the dead. After burial a blessing is said: May G-d comfort you among all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

Humanist Funerals Many people are uncomfortable with religious funerals if religion had no meaning for the dead person, and when most of the dead person's closest relatives and friends are not religious. Some people find that a church funeral (no matter how well done) for a non-believer is just a formal religious ritual conducted by someone with no knowledge of the dead person, and which doesn't help them to say farewell to someone they love. Religious people will often organise a non-religious funeral if the person who has died was not a believer, out of respect for that person's views. A Humanist funeral remembers the life of the person who has died, and reflects on their contribution to the world and to others. It also provides an opportunity for family and friends to share their sadness and create a bond of support for those who were closest to the dead person. The ceremony is likely to include: - Music (not hymns) - A non-religious reflection on death - Readings of poetry and prose Reminiscences about the dead person - A eulogy - Ritual actions - These might include: Candle lighting, sharing reminiscences with the people alongside you, moments of silence and reflection. - Formal words of goodbye It's likely that some of those attending a humanist funeral will have religious beliefs, and humanist funeral ceremonies usually contain a period of silence and meditation that can be used for private prayer. A humanist funeral, although it does not include hymns or prayers, can be entirely acceptable to religious people mourning an atheist. Humanist ceremonies do not include anti-religious material. A Humanist officiant is a person familiar with the procedures of cremation and burial who understands the experience of bereavement. They are trained and experienced in devising and conducting a suitable ceremony.

Funerals The ways in which religious people deal with death and the funeral rites they carry out are usually very closely linked with their beliefs about life after death. Funeral rites are very important for two reasons: They show respect for the dead and, in some religions, include various ceremonies which people believe are necessary to ensure that people go on to whatever their next life will be. Perhaps more importantly, they give the relatives and friends of the deceased time to mourn and show their grief in a certain way. People often say that showing their grief formally helps them to get over their loss. Allah – the Muslim name for God Atheist – a person who believes there is no God. Cremation – to reduce a human body to ashes by fire Crematorium – a place where cremations take place Denomination – sub group of a religion eg Roman Catholic or Anglians within Christianity Kaddish - Kaddish is often called a funeral prayer but it is actually a prayer praising G-d). Priest – religious leader Moksha – The afterlife in Hinduism - release from the cycle of samsara Reincarnation – after death, the soul of the body enters a new body and lives another life Shiva – in Judaism - a seven-day mourning ritual Samskaras - Hindu rites of passage Eulogy - A talk focussing on the achievements of the dead person, and the meaning of their life. Surah – chapter of the Islamic sacred text – the Qur’an Tallit – Jewish prayer shroud/shawl Vedic – Hindu prayers from the ancient Veda scriptures Keywords