Here we will be answering many questions on Hinduism as it relates to the dead, what happens immediately after we die, the afterlife, burial customs and rites, and other popular cultures, beliefs, and religions regarding the treatment of the dead.
Table of Contents
Why Are The Big Toes Of Both Feet Of A Dead Body Tied Together (Medical & Hindus)
A toe tag is a piece of cardboard attached with string to the big toe of a deceased individual in a morgue. It is used for identification purposes, allowing the mortician, coroner, law enforcement, and others involved in the death process to correctly identify the corpse.
However, in traditional Hindu culture, their belief states that by tying the big toes, the right and the left energies of the body come together and the energy remaining after death flows in a circle and forces the putrefying gases to get pushed upwards into the mouth or the skull and prevents its accumulation in the lower.
Why are dead people carried out feet first?
Coffins are carried feet first simply because of health and safety, rather than any kind of ceremonial tradition.
However, in the 19th century Europe and America, the dead were carried out of the house feet first, in order to prevent the spirit from looking back into the house and beckoning another member of the family to follow him, or so that he couldn’t see where he was going and would be unable to return.
Does the body feel pain during cremation?
The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation.
Why is the skull broken during cremation?
Hindus believe that the soul of the deceased stays attached to its body even after its demise, and by cremating the body, it can be set free. As a final act, a close family member forcefully strikes the burning corpse’s skull with a stick as if to crack it open and release the soul.
Why do they cover the legs in a casket?
It is a common practice to cover the legs as there is swelling in the feet and shoes don’t fit. As part of funeral care, the body is dressed and preserved, with the prime focus on the face. Post embalming, bodies are often placed without shoes; hence covering the legs is the way to offer a dignified funeral.
Why don’t they bury the dead with shoes on?
People are buried without shoes for practical, environmental, and traditional reasons. Shoes are difficult to place on a dead body due to the effects of rigor mortis, while many materials found in shoes are harmful to the environment. Some religious burial practices also forbid the use of shoes.
Why is cremation not done after sunset?
Why is cremation not done after sunset in Hindu society? What is the reason behind it? The Hindu belief is all religious rituals are to be conducted after sunrise. This is so because all the rituals address ADITYA Gods in Heaven.
Is it possible to see someone who has died?
It’s normal to see, hear or sense someone who has died. While this might be scary and unsettling, it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with you.
What are signs from a loved one who passed away?
According to various sources, common signs from people or loved ones who have just recently died include:
- Dream Visitations. One of the most commonly described signs from the other side is a visitation from a departed loved one in the form of a dream.
- Familiar Sensations or Smells.
- Animal Messengers.
- Pennies and Dimes.
- Lost and Found Objects.
- Electrical Disturbances.
Which day to shave the head after death?
In some regions, the male blood members of the deceased shave their head on the 9th day called as NAUVAR and then invite all friends and relatives, on the thirteenth (13th) day, to eat a meal together in remembrance of the deceased called as Tehrvi Sanskar.
Do they remove eyes before cremation?
The eyes usually start to flatten after death. Think of an old grape. They do, however, remain with the decedent. We don’t remove them.
What Cannot be cremated with the body and must be removed?
Sometimes there are objects within the body that can and should be removed before cremating.
- Medical Devices. Certain medical devices, like a pacemaker, must be removed before a cremation can be performed.
- Implants. A wide range of medical implants are used these days.
- Rods, Pins, and Plates.
- Gold or Silver Teeth.
Can you be cremated with your wedding ring on?
Crematoria advise that jewelry is removed to prevent loss or irreparable damage and in the case, valuables are left with the deceased, it is at the family’s own risk as crematoria do not have responsibility.
Can you touch human ashes?
The average cremated adult will produce about five pounds of pulverized bone fragments, a coarse powder that is sterile and safe to touch, even if the person died of a communicable disease.
What happens minutes immediately before death?
In time, the heart stops and they stop breathing. Within a few minutes, their brain stops functioning entirely and their skin starts to cool. At this point, they have died.
What is the last part of the body to burn during cremation?
Once you burn off all the water, soft tissue, organs, skin, hair, cremation container/casket, etc., what you’re left with is bone. When complete, the bones are allowed to cool to a temperature that they can be handled and are placed into a processing machine.
Can you have a wake if you are cremated?
The common misconception about cremation is that it is not possible to have a visitation, wake or more formal services. Visitations are not only allowed before a cremation; they are a popular and appropriate choice for many families.
Can dead bodies be fully dressed and clothed for and during cremation? Do you wear clothes when you’re cremated?
Can you be clothed when you are cremated? Cremation of a body can be done with or without clothing. Typically, if there has been a traditional funeral (with the body) present, the deceased will be cremated in whatever clothing they were wearing.
In most cases, people are cremated in either a sheet or the clothing they are wearing upon arrival to the crematory. However, most Direct Cremation providers give you and your family the option to fully dress your loved one prior to Direct Cremation.
How long do cremated ashes last?
How Long Do Cremated Ashes Last? Since cremation ashes are mostly made up of bone, and bones are not degradable, the ashes can last as long as a person wants them to. The typical packaging that ashes arrive in after the cremains are sent to a loved one is both air and water-tight.
Do bodies sit up, move, and scream while burning or cremated?
We think this is an urban legend. We’ve witnessed many cremations and never heard a scream. But then again, cremation retorts aren’t silent either. Now, bodies do make all kinds of gnarly noises. However, slight movements can be noticed due to shrinking tendons and muscles in the body.
What is removed from a body before cremation?
How is the body prepared for cremation? Usually, the body is bathed, cleaned, and dressed before identification. There is no embalming unless you have a public viewing or you request it. Next, the technician removes jewelry or other items that you would like to keep.
Do they crush the body before or after cremation?
The processor is a machine that uses blades to pulverize the bone fragments until the remains are less than 1/8” in size. The cremated remains are then transferred to a strong plastic bag and placed in either an urn or a temporary container if the family has not selected an urn yet.
What happens to the belly button during cremation?
The ashes that remain are collected in vessels made of brass or clay Many may not know this, but the belly button of the deceased never burns to ash, it remains hard and in the same shape that it adorns the human body.
Why are we buried 6 feet under?
The six feet under-the-ground rule for burial may have come from a plague in London in 1665. The Lord Mayor of London ordered all the “graves shall be at least six-foot deep.” Buring dead bodies 6 feet under the ground may help to prevent the spread of diseases as the risk of the corpse being accidentally dug out and eaten by wild animals, dug up by farmers, or washed open by flood after heavy rain is greatly reduced.
Burying corpses six feet under the ground also helped keep dead bodies out of the hands of body snatchers and burial ground thieves. Medical schools in the early 1800s bought cadavers for anatomical study and dissection, and some people supplied the demand by digging up fresh corpses.
Can you touch a body at a funeral?
If you are not in charge or directly responsible, it is always best to ask and get clearance before proceeding to touch a dead body at a funeral. Remember, you might not know the cause of death and diseases can still be transmitted even after death.
What happens in the last minutes before death?
Physical signs: Facial muscles may relax and the jaw can drop. Skin can become very pale. Breathing can alternate between loud rasping breaths and quiet breathing. Towards the end, dying people will often only breathe periodically, with an intake of breath followed by no breath for several seconds.
Will we meet our loved ones in heaven After Death?
The reunion of believing loved ones: When Paul writes to believers who grieve the loss of a loved one, he offers them this comfort: “We who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17, emphasis mine).
Where is your soul located in your body?
The soul or atman, credited with the ability to enliven the body, is said to be located by ancient anatomists and philosophers in the lungs or heart, in the pineal gland (Descartes), and generally in the brain.
How soon after death do you go to heaven or ascend?
According to some Christian beliefs, we enter heaven immediately upon our death, or our souls sleep until the second coming of Christ and the accompanying resurrection. Most have chosen to believe what the Bible appears to overwhelmingly propose: our souls (spirits) penetrate heaven immediately after we take our final breath.
What is the difference between spirit and soul?
Our soul is reflected in our personality. The Greek word for spirit is pneuma. It refers to the part of man that connects and communicates with God. Our spirit differs from our soul because our spirit is always pointed toward and exists exclusively for God, whereas our soul can be self-centered.
What is the last breath before death called? What is the death rattle sound?
Gasping is a brainstem reflex; it is the last respiratory pattern prior to terminal apnoea. Gasping is also referred to as agonal respiration and the name is appropriate because the gasping respirations appear uncomfortable, causing concern that the patient is dyspnoeic and in agony.
It can also be referred to as the death rattle which may be a crackling, wet noise that is amplified as the person breathes. In other cases, it may sound like a soft moaning with each breath, or a very loud gurgling or snoring.
A death rattle can occur when a person who is dying is no longer able to swallow, cough, or otherwise clear saliva and mucus from the back of the throat, and because secretions in the respiratory tract may be increased.
While the sound may be unpleasant to hear, the person emitting the death rattle sound usually feels no pain or discomfort.
What happens on the third day after death?
It is customary that on the third day after cremation, the karta goes to the cremation service area and collects the ashes of the deceased. The karta would then see that the ashes were disposed of in a significant river. In India, many still travel to the Ganges River to scatter the ashes there.
What happens 41 days after death and why?
We have a bath after the Vidhi. There will be a hom in the end whose smoke is to be taken and the process is completed. This same process will be conducted on the 12th day for Kshatriyas and 41st for Shudras. Shudras have a 41 day Sutak.
Why are thumbs tied together after death?
The thumbs can be tied together to keep the limbs in place. However in Hindu, before taking the dead person to perform the last rites, both his thumbs are tied together on the earth. The reason for this is that with the help of the right nadi of his body, the left nadi, the dead body gets freed from the subtle painful air.
What happens on the 16th day after death?
It is due to the acts performed on the 13th or the 16th-day ceremony after death that the soul progresses towards its journey. By attaining momentum it cuts off ties from the family and starts to develop a relationship with the absolute soul.
Can a dead body move after death on its own? How long does the body move after death?
Scientists have discovered that human bodies do move after death, however, the movement is related to decomposition.
An Australian scientist has found that human bodies move for more than a year after being pronounced dead. These findings could have implications for fields as diverse as pathology to criminology. Researcher Alyson Wilson studied and photographed the movements of corpses over a 17-month timeframe.
What is the first thing that happens after death?
The first visible change to the body—occurring 15 to 20 minutes after death—is pallor mortis, in which the body begins to pale. Pallor mortis occurs because blood stops moving through the capillaries, the smallest of the body’s blood vessels.
What is the number 1 cause of death in the world?
Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death globally. In the map, we see death rates from cardiovascular diseases across the world as the leading cause.
What is the burst of energy before death called?
This difficult time may be complicated by a phenomenon known as the surge before death, or terminal lucidity, which can happen days, hours, or even minutes before a person’s passing. Often occurring abruptly, this period of increased energy and alertness may give families false hope that their loved ones will recover.
Credit: Calendar-canada.ca, The Healthy Journal
