22/02/2015
INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW WHEN RETURNING HOME AFTER THE FUNERAL IS COMPLETED
When the funeral is completed the yajmaan (main person performing the rituals) and others should return home where they wash their hands and touch the following items: Fire, hardi, water, Iron or cutlass and dhoob grass. They should also drink some sweetened water or lime juice as per tradition. They should then take a bath and wear clean clothes. When returning home from the funeral a bottle of water should be brought back from the river. A kalsa should be and tied on a branch of a tree or suspended from a three legged stand. A tiny hole should be made from the bottom of the kalsa and a knotted Kush grass should be planted under the kalsa. The kalsa should be filled with the water brought back from the river to allow the water to drip on the knotted Kush grass. This should be done every day until the tenth day for the shaving
RITES OF THE SECOND DAY (The day after the funeral).
Very early in the morning of the second day (the day after the disposal of the body) the yajmaan should take a bath. A deeya should be lit near the root of the Kush grass and a vessel containing water, blacktil, white-rice and flowers which are referred to as tillanjali or tarpan should be offered on the knotted Kush grass. This should be done while facing in a southerly direction using both hands allowing the water to fall through the right hand thumb finger and right hand index finger. This procedure will continue every day until the tenth day shaving cermony has being done. The number of handfuls of water will increase by one more each day as you go along. After this is completed two (2) pindas should be offered on two kowa leaves. This should be followed by prayers for the soul of the departed. From the third day onwards one pinda should be offered each day until the tenth day.
COLLECTION OF THE BONES FROM THE CREAMTION SITE
The yajmaan and others should now go to the cremation site for rite of the collection of the bones and the disposal of the ashes. At the cremation site perform the following in this order: 1). Walk around the ashes three time while sprinkling milk on the ashes. 2). Cool the spot by using water. 3). Collect all the bones, wash them with milk and then place them on a clean piece of white cloth or a kalsa. 4).Collect all the ashes and throw it in the river or sea. 5). Wash out cremation spot as clean as possible with water. 6). Offer one pinda should be offered on this spot on a kowa leaf. 7). Take the first set of bones that was taken up and go to the river or sea side. The yajmaan should sprinkle some water and milk over the bones and pray to mother Ganga. Flowers and chandan should be offered on the bones, then touch container to your head & heart there after it should be offer into the river/sea and prayers should be offered for the departed soul, everyone who took part in the rituals should return home and take a bath and wear clean clothes.
DUDMUHI
On the evening of the second day a deeya is lit near the root of the Kush grass. Kitcharee (without salt) cooked rice and rude is placed on a plate made with kowa leaf joined with brome sticks. Water and milk are also offered in separate containers, Prayer to lord Vishnu are offered for the welfare of the (atma) departed soul.
