Celebrating the Life of Parvati Neupane -Funeral Traditions of Nepal

Today I participated in the funeral ceremonies for Parvati Neupane mother of my landlord. I hope that you have the time to read the whole post. It was a meaningful day for me.

This is the last time I saw Parvati. We are at her home for celebrations of the holiday season three weeks ago

My eulogy to Parvati: Parvati was married at the age of 7 (yes really) to a man 20 years her senior. I imagine her assuming household duties at her in-laws home at that tender age- forgoing the joys of childhood. I imagine her having her first child at the age of 14 and another subsequent 7 children rapidly. I imagine her sending 8 children off to school each day and herself not able to read or write. I imagine her seeing several of her children move abroad and herself not traveled further than a 20 mile radius in her life. I imagine the loneliness of being married to a man several generations older than you. Parvati, I bow down to you and all the other women in developing countries who have persevered through the same life. She raised her children, did her duty, supported her husband and had a kind word and smile for everyone. I wish her godspeed to the highest heaven of light and love.

Nepali Hindu Funeral Traditions

The morning started with her 6 sons assembling to have their heads shaved in mourning. This was happening below my apartment window,

Other men of the family constructed a funeral bier out of bamboo poles

The women prepared the body in the front yard and the the eldest son (shirtless and shaved) performed religious ceremonies,

Then in procession the body was transported at first by vehicle and then carried to the burning ghat of the Seti River. We walked following the vehicle about three miles to reach there.

At a special holy tree the beautifully decorated 

body was removed from the vehicle. Another ceremony was performed and then the body was carried by relatives on foot down to the river.

Procession proceeds on foot to the river with body carried aloft.

Once we reached the cremation place at the river, we each carried a stick of wood down to symbolize our participation.

Prayers and ceremonies were performed at the bank of the river as the body rests on carefully constructed burning pyre.

The body is now ready to be cremated. A poster commemorating Parvati is in the foreground

I sat and meditated for some time and observed as the body was rapidly consumed. She died from burns sustained in a household accident and now again she was burned. This time releasing her from pain and sending her body to the elements. It was a time of deep reflection for me. 

I stayed by the river with the family and listened to her grandson who I live with here in the apartment building. He explained to me the Hindu view of death, reincarnation, the indestructibility of the soul. I of course was more than aware of this information but I could see that it helped his grieving to tell me what he believed. 

Finally, and in closing for this post, he told me how his grandmother loved the National Geographic channel and when she came to visit always asked him to turn it on. She loved to marvel at the variety of animals in the world. I wish in her next life she travels, sees lots of wonders of the world and fulfils each and every desires of her soul!

Machapuchare Fishtail Mountain hovers in the clouds as I leave the river and cremation site.