ASSIGNMENT: 4

DEATH RITE
We have done a survey to understand the death rite in the village Sadri. The basic
what we come to know from our visit is, in the village Sadri the ritual acts vary depending on
social status, age and gender. Most of the families in Sadri are Hindus. They follow
traditional Vedic ritual after death of any member. Some Muslim and Jain families are there.
They follow different rituals. We have done our survey mainly in Hindu Community.
COMMON AND GENERAL RITUALS:
According to the Vedic (Hindu) Customs, after death human body should be burnt as
it allows the holy soul of that person to rest in peace or heaven. In Sadri, the Hindu families
follow the same. But they do not burn the body of an infant after death. However, the rituals
after death are divided into three parts: cremation (Antyesthi), tiya and death feast.
Cremation ( Antyesthi): In this part, the dead body is taken to the cremation ground
for funeral. Then the elder son put lights on the death body. Some family members
and neighbors then participate to help in the process of cremation.
Tiya: This is the next, which is done after the third day of death. Family members
collect the ashes, and then they throw in river or lake, preferably in the Ganga.

Death Feast: After the twelfth day (on 13th day) after death, relatives, neighbors, and
friends are invited to a feast.
DIFFERENCES:
We found some difference in all activities due to social and economic status or due to
age and gender also.
o During cremation, rich people some time give coins to beggers. Even on the way
when they take the dead body to the cremation ground they throw coins. However,
poor people (mainly bheel community) cannot do this due to having very less
income. When old person dies, sometimes a team of band follows the death rally to
the cremation ground.

o In tiya stage, poor people cannot afford the travel cost to reach the Ganga.
Therefore, they use pond or lake that is nearer to them. Even sometimes they do not
o

follow this ritual.

In death feast, there are some major differences. No of people invited is more for the
rich Brahmin, Jath community. However, no of people for the Bheel community is
less. For rich family, the no of invited people may go 500 where it is only 300 (on an
average) for poor (i.e., Bheel) family. When the deceased person was a male or old,
then death feast incur more cost due to more no of invited people and more
arrangement of foods. For the Brahmin family, sometimes the death feast continues
for four to five days. During death feast, the family of the deceased must have to
invite some Brahmin for having food. It is called Brahmin bhoj.
TOTAL COST AND SOURCE OF FUND
Total cost for all the ritual is near about one lakh to one and half lakh INR in Brahmin

and Jath family. Cost to the bheel family for all the rituals varies from thirty to fifty thousand
rupees.
Elder son is responsible for all the rituals, but the expenditure is equally distributed
among all sons. Bheel community and other poor family borrow money if they need from any
rich person who gives money at high interest rate. The interest rate is two percent, i.e., annual
twenty-four percent.