2020 version of Jaffna Hindu Funeral Rites in Sydney

On the 8^th of February 2020, my world became less generous, less gentle and less gracious, because my Mother in Law (MIL) passed away in Sydney.  She is one of the most generous, gentle and gracious people, I have known.  She was unwell for nearly three years and taught us how to suffer gracefully during the last two years.  This blog is about the funeral rites that followed her death, and how it differed from Hindu funeral rites in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, where I was born. 

My MIL passed away at the Westmead Hospital in Sydney.  The hospital staff wanted to take over the body within four hours, to clean and store in the mortuary.  The immediate family who were present, obliged.  She died on a Saturday early morning, and the funeral directors could not access her till the Monday morning.  Furthermore, the funeral directors had other commitments, and hence the funeral was scheduled for the 12^th.

In Jaffna, the family will mourn in the presence of the deceased for nearly 12 hours, while the arrangements for the funeral will be taking place.  Typically, the body will be cremated within 24 hours of death, following the funeral rites at home.

On the 12^th morning, the immediate family ‘viewed’ the deceased at 8:30 AM and the rest of the family and friends did so till 10 AM.  Funeral rites followed that in the presence of mourners. 

In Jaffna, there was a group of priests who were ordained to administer the funeral rites.  In Sydney, it was done by volunteers, attached to the Hindu Society (popularly known as the Sydney Saiva Manram) for a modest fee to pay for various consumables for administering the rites.  The chief volunteer was supported by two additional volunteers from the Sri Lankan Hindu community in Sydney. 

The rites started with the invocation of Lord Ganesha, a Hindu God.  Lord Ganesha is the God of Beginnings.  A cone of ground-turmeric paste mounted with grass is formed to depict Ganesha, and a prayer is offered to him.  He is asked to oversee and ensure the proceedings are completed properly. 

The second rite is the invocation of Lord Shiva, the supreme God.  A metal pot with a narrow neck (Kudam in Tamil), is filled with water, and a coconut is kept up-side-down to cover the opening of the pot.  This formation depicts Lord Shiva, also known as the destroyer.  Prayers are offered to Lord Shiva, and he is requested to accept the deceased soul.

The third rite is the invocation of the departed soul.  Instead of a metal pot, a mud-pot is used to create another formation for the soul and prayers are offered to invite the wandering soul to come and settle in the water within the mud-pot.

The fourth rite is to physically purify the body.  In Jaffna, herbal shampoo and oil are applied liberally to the body, and the body will be washed and dressed.  In Sydney, the washing of the body is done at the hospital soon after the death and dressing of the body is done by the funeral directors a day before the funeral.  Hence, the fourth rite in Sydney is only ceremonial to symbolize what was done in Jaffna.  Friends and family were invited to apply a drop each of herbal shampoo, oil, and water.  It is then assumed that the body is cleansed and dressed.

The fifth rite is to prepare a blend of fragrances and perfumes for the deceased.  The mixing is done in a pestle with mortar when a close relative pounds the substances as the volunteers recite prayers.  Subsequently, the fragrant concoction is applied to the deceased.

The sixth rite is to offer the deceased vakkarisi a mixture of rice and other grains.  This is an offering reluctantly and sorrowfully made by the immediate family, reflecting the good things the deceased had done to them over the years.  A handful of rice is placed at the mouth of the deceased by each, often bring tears to those involved.  Rice, instead of paddy-which can germinate, symbolize, the prayer seeking no rebirth for the deceased. 

At this stage, in Jaffna, the coffin is closed, and the body is taken to the cemetery in a procession where the body is to be cremated.  In Sydney, where the cremation takes place at the parlour itself, remaining rituals continue, as if it is only now the deceased has arrived at the parlour. 

In Jaffna, the pot in which the deceased soul is invoked is carried on the left shoulder by a male member of the immediate family.  He will walk around the deceased on the funeral pyre, three times.  The family barber will walk behind the pot-carrier and pierce the pot at the end of each round and let the water drain.  At the end of the three rounds, the pot-carrier will drop the pot behind him, crashing the pot, and releasing the water.

In Sydney, the key volunteer replaces the barber, and instead of piercing the pot, he will only tap the pot.  Once the three rounds are over, the pot-carrier walks outside the parlour and drops the pot releasing the water.  This is done so to prevent the parlour floor from getting wet.

Recall that the pot is where the soul is invoked.  During the leakage of water, the soul is released to find its way to meet the greater soul, the Paramatma.  In Sydney, then the coffin is sealed, placed on a stage, a piece of camphor is alight, and the curtain is drawn.  Later, the funeral directors will transfer the body to a crematorium to cremate the body.  In Jaffna, the pyre will be set on fire, to cremate the body, after the pot is crashed.

The Jaffna-migrant community in Sydney does its best to cling on to the traditions of Jaffna.  The manner in which my Mother in Law’s funeral was held shows the extent to which the community tried to stick to its traditions, but also flexible enough to adapt to the new environment, and Sydney-living!. 

I believe there will be more adaptations with time, largely due to the apathy and (in)convenience among the next generation of Jaffna-origin Hindus in Sydney.  But I also think some of the practices of Hindus from other parts of the world, as well as the practices of other religions and communities, will blend with the traditions from Jaffna.  An example is the delivery of tributes and vote of thanks at my Mother in Law’s funeral, which is a common practice at Christian Funerals, that never happens in Jaffna. 

The merger of respectful practices, irrespective of their origins are always welcome.