Cremation Of Gurmukhs.

[Pyara]

What do Gursikh families do with the remains of the kirpan and kara after they collect the ashes of a Gurmukh from the crematorium? The sarbloh does not burn, so how do we appropriately sanskar those kakaars with satkaar?

Does anyone have any experience or perhaps advise what is done in Punjab?

There's an interesting article below from the BBC about metalwork recovered from crematoria ash in which a Sikh "ceremonial dagger" is mentioned. http://www.bbc.co.uk...-wales-13071572

[SarabjeetS]

Relatives should keep Kara and Kirpan after cremation ! I feel 5 Ks should be also present with deceased during cremation , because they have been wearing and caring for it all their lives . Metal can be recycled !

[Bundha]

When the ashes are disposed off in flowing water then the kakaars can also be entered into flowing water.

[MokhamSingh]

Khalsa Ji

When my father was cremated at the crematorium we were told that the kirpan should not be too large. So we swapped the nine inch kirpan for a three inch one. They said that the karra was okay.

The Asst (ashes) that we were given contained only ashes since the intense heat of the furnace melted the karra and kirpan.

When we took the Asst to Kiratpur Sahib we were told by the sewadharrs that only the ashes should be placed in the river and the kakkar should be handed to them seperaty.

The funeral pyre in India is not as hot as the furnace so the metal will not melt.

[Wolverine5]

Gurfateh!

Thanks for bringing this topic up.

Guys I have some other questions regarding this and what Gurbani and Rehat Marayda say. Bhaji Pyara hope you don't mind.

1) When people come to do Afsos, why do we sit on the floor and lay out White Chadraa?

2) Why is the body bought home on the day of the funeral?

3) Why do people view the body?

4) Why is the body taken to the Gurdwara Saab?

5) Do we need to take the Ashes to KiratPur?

These are things I have observed over the years and have always been curious as to why and if they should happen within Sikhi.

Bull Chuk Maf Karni.

GurFateh!

[MokhamSingh]

<br /><font face="Comic Sans MS">Gurfateh!<br /><br /> Thanks for bringing this topic up. <br /><br />Guys I have some other questions regarding this and what Gurbani and Rehat Marayda say.  Bhaji Pyara hope you don't mind.<br /><br />1)  When people come to do Afsos, why do we sit on the floor and lay out White Chadraa?<br /><br />2)  Why is the body bought home on the day of the funeral?  <br /><br />3)  Why do people view the body?<br /><br />4)  Why is the body taken to the Gurdwara Saab?<br /><br />5)  Do we need to take the Ashes to KiratPur?<br /><br />These are things I have observed over the years and have always been curious as to why and if they should happen within Sikhi.<br /><br />Bull Chuk Maf Karni.<br /><br />GurFateh!</font><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Khalsa Ji

My own personal interpretations of the above are as follows:

During afsos we sit on the floor as a Mark of respect. White sheets are used because White is usually associated with death and tiagh(renunciation).

The body is brought home on the day of the funeral so that all family, relatives , and friends can see the person for the last time and also seeing a dead body reminds us of death too.

In England we take the body to the Gurdwaras Sahib because there is not enough room in the house for all the family and relatives. We usually use one of the empty halls in Gurdwara Sahib.

We take the Asst(ashes) to Kirtpur Sahib because 6th Patshahi was cremated there together with other members of their family. Prior to this people took Asst to Hardwar but Gursikhs go to Kirtpur Sahib instead.

The Kirtpur Sahib Maryada may have been started by purartan Gursikhs but I'm not sure , so please forgive for any inaccuracies.

In India a Gaddha (clay pot) filled with cold water is taken to the funeral pyre with the dead body which is smashed to the ground en route. The cold water is symbolic of reminding us of Waheguru Ji. When we throw cold water on our face or body in the bathroom we automatically say "Waheguru", so that is to remind us of that fact. The clay pot breaking can represent that our physical body is going to smash one day too , I.e. die.

Please forgive for any inaccuracies Khalsa Ji.

[Bundha]

I would agree with most of that Mokham singh Ji.

I heard once that breaking the pot was an ancient tradition also. Ascertaining that a body is actually dead is quite a difficult thing to do because sometimes a person may look dead but he is alive but all the vital signs seem to suggest that he is dead and the heart beats very very slowly or with less intensity. On some occasions a body would stir when taken to the pyre. So breaking the pot near the head was to make a loud noise incase the body stirred.