नमस्कार । भारतीय संस्कृती में मृत्यु के बाद क्या किया जाता है और इसके क्या तरीके हैं ? इसके बारे में WHERE THERE BE DRAGONS के विद्यार्थियों ने डोम परिवार के एक आदमी से सवाल पूछा और मैने इस बात-चित का अनुवाद किया

विद्यार्थी: – How long have you been working at cremation ghats

आदमी:- He started at the age of eight years working at cremation ghat with his grand parents as this is his traditionally livelihood.

विद्यार्थी: – How does he feel about doing this job and does he feel discrimination in social life?

आदमी:-:-No,there is no discrimination in society he sits with respected Brahamn and have a chai together.second respected cast “Kshatriya” also talk with him and the social life is not disrespectful.

विद्यार्थी: -What do you think about you child’s future?

आदमी:-:- I am sending the kids in english medium school .we don’t want our kids to do same profession as we get effected from burning dead body at cremation ghats.because different kinds of person die with different disease so our body get effected and sometime we get sick

विद्यार्थी:-How do you get your turn for working at ghats?

आदमी:-:-There are ten thousands Dom working in varansi and these people are not only from varanasi .they come from different parts of the U.P. so every one gets a day for working at ghats and this decided by the king of the Dom.

विद्यार्थी:-Why the mankarnika is much more busy than this one?

आदमी:-:-Both burning ghats have region and marnkarnika cover much more longer part than harschnadra ghats.suppose if a deady body belonging to B.H.U.are or surrounding then it can not be cremated at Manikarnika ghtas.that is why mankarnika is much more busy.

विद्यार्थी:-In Hinduism who are not cremated ?

आदमी:- Five people are not cremated .these are great saint ,One who has leprosy,snake biting,one who died of chiken pax,follower of vaishnow(the kind of sadhu who holds tridandi and wear saffron colors)

विद्यार्थी:-what are rituals while cremating body at ghats? and how long does it take to burn whole body?

आदमी:-First of all when body get to the ghats .it has to be Beth in ganges and meanwhile the person who has to give the fire (in Hindu rituals mostly eldest son has to give first fire) will get saved his head and will wear a white dhoti.and “Dom” will make wooden chita on which body will be kept and the one who is giving the fire will ask for the fire with “Dom” and he will make circle and other friends and relative will also give the last piece of wood and make circle
Normally a healthy body take three to three and half hour but if body contain water or some medical treatment then some time it takes much time.
Regarding the rituals when body is almost burnt some boy hit at the head of the body it symbolize that body has completely burnt and “Dom ” gives rest of the flesh to man to offer in Ganges..In Hinduism it is said that if person pass away his ashes is offered to the Ganges and he gets out of his all bad karma.and get salvation.
After that the man get fill water port and pour at the place where body was cremated and last port of water he keeps on his left solider and throw at the place and he writes there 9 + 4:= 13 so there are 13 days rituals has to be performed at home.

विद्यार्थी:-How is electric crematorium different from wooden cremation?

आदमी:- Rituals is the same this is much more cheaper and it is Government project to stop the pollution but and unknown dead body and poor people are mostly cremated but rituals is the same.

विद्यार्थी:- what are the average number of Dead body cremated each day?

आदमी:- Including all three it around one hundred twenty five body are cremated everyday.