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Death
When a Brahmin is dying, he is made to lie on darbha grass
spread on the ground in the south-north direction. The body lies
with the head towards the south. Mantras are chanted in his ear. When it
is confirmed the person is dead, the body is covered with white cloth and a line
is drawn around with sacred ash and an oil lamp is lighted. Water is sprinkled
over the body. In some cases the body is ceremoniously bathed. The forehead is
marked with sacred ash and sandal paste and the ear is adorned with
the sacred 'basil flower'. The body is then covered with a new cloth and
tied up. It is taken to the cremation ground and placed with head towards the south. The
bearers of the body wash their legs and wear the ritual ring ('pavitram' made of
a particular grass). A fresh plantain leaf is placed on the south-east of
the crematorium, water is poured on the leaf and with a brush made of leaves and
grass, this water is sprinkled at the funeral pyre by chanting mantras. This sprinkling
of
water starts from the agnikon (pyre) in an anti-clock wise direction. The mantra has to
be chanted thrice while walking round thrice. The remaining water in the
leaf may also be poured on the pyre. The person who does these rituals
washes his hands, sits at the feet of the pyre facing south and digs the earth
with a knife and removes the sand with his hands. He then cuts a piece from the firewood
that is arranged on the pyre, washes his hands and cuts a little fire wood from outside and adds it to the pyre. All the relatives then wear the sacred
grass ring. The chief man lights the pyre at its north end.
There are several chants at intervals until the body is
completely burned. On the fourth day there is a ritual called Sanchayanam.
Thursday, Friday and the birth day of the dead or chief man who
does the rites are avoided for sanchayanam. Many other communities
consider the fifth day as auspicious unless the star of the day is not inauspicious.
There are a lot of rituals for collecting the ashes and bones
from the funeral place. The ritual on the eleventh day is known as Pindam.
In
the
morning all relatives take the ceremonial bath as a mark of removal of pollution
caused due to the death. The old practice of observance of such pollution
was ten days for Brahmins, eleven for Kshatriyas, twelve for Vaishyas
and Fifteen for Sudras. Now all Hindus have accepted ten days as the usual
practice. The mourners fast on the night previous to the pulakuli and on the
next morning bathe with a few drops of oil on their body and perform the
ceremony of Shadangam. Rice balls are offered to the names of the deceased which
are afterwards thrown into the water. They then bathe once more and an Enangan
sprinkles some water with cow dung on them. Caste men are entertained to a feast
on the night of the 15th day and the bones of the departed are placed in a metal
pot and covered with a piece of silk. It is carried by the chief mourner who
goes to the nearest place of water. Whether tank or river, he dips himself with
it in the water. The procession is accompanied by music and drums. The 16th day
feast, is celebrated sumptuously. There is another important ritual on
completion of one year after the death of a person known as pantrandam Masam
(the twelfth month).
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