How is it to be there? How lonely is it? Is it still growing red at Sunset? Are the birds still sing on their way to the forest? Can you receive the letter I dared not send? Can I convey the confession I dared not make? Will time pass and roses fade? Now it’s time […]
Category: Death
DEATH OF GOD, BY SUICIDE
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said, ‘God is dead’. This quotation is a world famous one. Through this quotation Nietzsche became immortal. The question is how did He die? Was He murdered? Or death by accident? Or executed by the law? Or committed suicide? He couldn’t have been murdered because I never heard of his wife running […]
UNIVERSAL FREE CREMATIONS – 6. Hindus Reject CNG and Electric Cremations?
Often, we discuss about the environment and how to safeguard it. There are many reproaches against Hindu open-air wood cremations. Scientific studies have pointed out that open-air wood cremations of Hindus are also contributing to the present environmental calamities. Many people ask the question ‘why Hindus only do open-air wood cremations?’ Why can they not […]
5. Importance of Tulsi / Why people Revere Tulsi?
Two years ago, I went to Mumbai to attend a marriage. I was well taken care of by the marriage hosts who arranged my stay at the Taj Bandstand. Taj Bandstand is an iconic hotel of the Taj group. Though I do not know why it is called as Bandstand…but who cares? I stayed there […]
4. Can Every Type of Wood Be Used for Cremations?
In the series of Hindu death, none told us,regarding the 16th samskara Anthyesti, what type of wood to be used for cremations. Anthyesti can roughly be translated as Last Rites in English. We read in the newspapers, watched on television, come across incidents in social media – where the dead are cremated using old, discarded […]
THE FACE OF ST. STEPHENS – DR. DAVID BAKER
Dr. (Prof) David Baker was my teacher during my undergraduate years – 1983 – 1986. He was a history professor at St. Stephens College, Delhi University Delhi. An Australian by nationality, he fell in deep love with India – since then he did not look back. He was a bachelor. During our weekly tea sessions, […]
3. What is Arthi / Bier?
Hindus, to carry the dead to the Samshan Ghat, use Arthi / Bier. Any Hindu living in any part of the world understands the importance of Arthi. The use of Arthi is centuries old tradition. Any reader who is a non-Hindu and who doesn’t understand Hindu culture might wonder what bier is and why much […]
2. Are We Cremating the Dead or Living?
If a minimum of 450 kg wood is required per cremation i.e., 4 trees of at least 10-year age then what happens?I said in my last article that “number of trees cut per year for cremations and the consequent CO2 emissions are phenomenal resulting in environmental catastrophe”. Allow me kindly to demonstrate the same with […]
1. Why Hindus Cremate?
Hindus prefer cremation, as it is enjoined through the Garuda MahaPurana, the sacred text of Hindus that describes in detail the procedure to be followed in respect of the dead. The injunction given through this sacred text is to cremate the dead with wood. The type of wood used for open air cremation is also […]
Pandit Shankar Dayal Sharma – A TRUE MUSLIM
Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (19th Aug,1918 – 26th Dec, 1999) was the ninth President of India and served from 1992 to 1997. Before being the President, he served as the eighth Vice President of India. The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur shared a special bond with India. India also considered Sultan […]
