Rest in Peace

Burials Denied

After the recent terror attacks on Mumbai by Pakistani based terrorists, the Indian Muslim Council has announced that they will not allow burial of those terrorists killed in the shootout on Indian soil. Their outburst is justified, coming as a mark of protest against the terrorist brand of jihad which targets innocent Indian civilians. That special brand of terrorism, coming as it does from Pakistan— sown, grown and nurtured to destroy, has been alienating and drawing unnecessary attention to Indian muslims for no fault of theirs. However, this announcement along with other signs of protest like wearing black badges during Id-uz-Zoha etc., against Pakistani terrorists, has not gone down well with International Humanists, cast in the mould of Amnesty International.

The Controversy

The Humanists maintain that such International terrorists should be given fair trial as reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in this case where they have been declared dead, they should be given decent burials according to their religious beliefs. The ceremonies should be done in a dignified and befitting manner, conforming to their standard last rites– whether it be burial or cremation. Usually victims of such carnage are allowed mass burials after post-mortem when there is no claim for their bodies. Such burials are funded with the minimum cost but with a certain level of dignity for eternal peace after death. While mass cremations converts the mortal remains into ashes, burial entails a more elaborate process with coffins, graves dug deep and then covered with earth. This brings me to the vital question, how dignified are human burials actually?

Rest In Peace

People of all countries, irrespective of their caste, creed, color of skin, and faith always go all out to complete the funeral rites of their kin to the maximum extent possible, funds permitting. Here we will confine our discussion to burial ceremonies only, leaving out the ethereal body to ashes cremating rituals. All burials as a rule, are preceded by funeral ceremonies of various hues and modes — in the hospital, morgue, church, community halls, funeral parlours, home sweet home etc. Finally the body is laid out ritually in a coffin with incense, flowers etc. and draped in white, black, saffron, green or in their personal finery. Bodies without coffins are placed on a four-post bed or even wrapped in traditional leaves by certain sects. Eventually the body with or without the coffin is lowered into a 6-ft.x6-ft.x6-ft. grave, in a graveyard, sacred grove or one’s backyard. A holy cross or some such religious symbol is placed above the earth-covered grave. Earth to earth and dust unto dust, and “May the Soul Rest In Peace!” Amen.