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The cremation ground is called Shmashana (in Sanskrit), and traditionally it is located near a river, if not on the river bank itself.Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places like Kashi (), Haridwar, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Srirangam, Brahmaputra on the occasion of Ashokashtami and Rameswaram to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into the water.
Manikarnika Ghat, a shmashana ghat at Varanasi, India. As per Hindu rites of Nepal and India, the dead body is brought to shmashana for the ritual of antyesti (last rites). At the cremation ground, the chief mourner has to obtain the sacred fire from one who resides by the shmashana and light funeral pyres (chita) for a fee.
The human body and the universe consist of five elements in Hindu texts – air, water, fire, earth and space. [10] The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and its origins. [ 6 ] [ 10 ] The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of Rigveda in section 10.16, as follows,
The box containing the body is placed in the retort and incinerated at a temperature of 760 to 1,150 °C (1,400 to 2,100 °F). During the cremation process, the greater portion of the body (especially the organs and other soft tissues) is vaporized and oxidized by the intense heat; gases released are discharged through the exhaust system.
Another meaning of vibhuti is a 'glorious form', in contrast with avatar, a reincarnation of Brahman. [3]Vaishnava theology describes a vibhuti as 'incarnation of power', a temporary occasional manifestation such as when holy men are infused with divine virtues and qualities are infused.
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. [1] Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect the dead, from interment, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honour.
The ashes are later collected and immersed in a body of water. Sikhs do not erect monuments over the remains of the dead. After the cremation ceremony, there may be another service at the Gurdwara , the Sikh place of worship, called the Sahaj Paath Bhog Ceremony.
A human body usually contains a negative caloric value, meaning that energy is required to combust it. This is a result of the high water content; all water must be vaporized which requires a very large amount of thermal energy .