Cremation is the practice of disposing of a deceased person’s body by burning it to ashes. Many religions practice cremation, but there is only one major religion where cremation is mandatory for all adherents – Hinduism.
Hinduism and Cremation
In Hinduism, cremation is the only acceptable way to dispose of the dead. This stems from Hindu beliefs about death and the afterlife. Hindus believe in reincarnation – the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. At death, the body is seen as just a shell that housed the immortal soul or atman. The atman leaves the body at death and will take on a new physical form and cycle of life again after the old body is cremated. Thus, cremation is a vital death rite in Hinduism as it releases the soul from its old body.
The Hindu scriptures prescribe cremation as the normative and preferred funerary practice. The Garuda Purana states that the body must be fully burned so that the atman can be completely released. Water burials are forbidden. The Agni Purana specifically instructs that Hindu dead must only be cremated, never buried. So cremation has been universally followed in Hinduism for thousands of years.
Other Key Hindu Cremation Beliefs
Besides being mandatory, there are other important Hindu beliefs about cremation:
- The ashes from the cremation fire are sacred. After cremation, the ashes are collected and typically scattered at a sacred body of water or at holy sites.
- Not performing the proper death rituals like cremation can delay transition of the soul and lead to an inauspicious rebirth.
- Only men are permitted to light the funeral pyre for cremation. Women are generally not allowed.
- Cremation should ideally take place within a day of death, if not as soon as possible.
- Cremation is one of the Sanskara or sacraments of Hindu life. The final cremation sacrament releases the atman into its next incarnation.
Cremation as a Universal Practice for Hindus
With rare exceptions, cremation is universally practiced by all Hindus across India and around the world. Cremation is seen as mandatory regardless of sect, region, caste, or tradition. The major Hindu denominations that exclusively practice cremation include:
- Shaivism – Followers of the god Shiva
- Vaishnavism – Followers of the god Vishnu
- Shaktism – Followers of the goddess Shakti
- Smartism – Followers of all main Hindu gods
Some examples of Hindu cremation customs include:
- Most Hindus in India practice open-air cremation, with cremation grounds located along the rivers.
- Many southern Indian Hindus follow the tradition of using a specific type ofsenic cauldron for the cremation fire.
- Hindus in Bali, Indonesia also adhere to cremation on open pyres.
- In Nepal, a son must light the funeral pyre during cremation rites.
- Hindus in Western countries like the United States who have adapted to using crematorium facilities.
Cremation is so intrinsic to Hinduism that other major religions that originated in the Indian subcontinent, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, also practice cremation. However, over time these religions have moved away from making it an absolute requirement. But cremation remains an essential, non-negotiable practice for Hindus.
Are There Any Exceptions?
There are a handful of extremely rare exceptions where Hindus may practice burial instead of cremation:
- Children under two years old may sometimes be buried instead of cremated.
- Sannyasis – Hindu ascetics who renounce all worldly relations – may be buried in a seated samadhi position.
- In very special cases, holy men like saints may be buried if their followers wish to construct tombs or shrines in their honor.
- If cremation facilities are unavailable, burial may be acceptable only as a last resort.
But these are uncommon exceptions. The vast majority of Hindus are cremated after death.
Conclusion
In summary, Hinduism stands alone as the only major religion that universally mandates cremation for all its adherents. Cremation is inextricably linked with Hindu beliefs surrounding death, the afterlife, and reincarnation. The ashes must then be properly scattered to allow the atman or soul to achieve liberation. Thus, cremation has been an unquestioned, non-negotiable Hindu custom for thousands of years and continues to be practiced by Hindus all over the world today.