{"id":2413,"date":"2016-02-27T07:58:09","date_gmt":"2016-02-27T07:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/globalpress.hinduismnow.org?p=2410&preview_id=2410"},"modified":"2016-02-27T07:58:09","modified_gmt":"2016-02-27T07:58:09","slug":"hindus-forced-to-bury-their-dead-with-few-and-far-crematoriums-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/?p=2413","title":{"rendered":"Hindus forced to bury their dead with few and far crematoriums – The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is home to a number of Hindus, there are few cremation grounds where their last rites can be performed. As a result, many Hindus have no option but to deviate from their rituals and bury them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a few shamshan ghats [platforms designed for cremation of bodies by Hindus] in K-P,\u201d All Pakistan Hindu Rights Movement Chairman Haroon Sarbdiyal told The Express Tribune<\/i>. \u201cThere is one is in Mardan and another in Kohat. The other one by Attock River.\u201d A cremation ground is also situated in Buner.<\/p>\n

Most Hindus cremate their dead and scatter their ashes along Attock River as it is next to a cremation ground and proper facilities are available there. The cremation ground is situated near Mallahi Tola and only a few people can afford to travel such long distances to perform the last rites of their loved ones.<\/p>\n

Cremation sites for Hindus<\/strong><\/p>\n

He added, \u201cThe journey from Peshawar to Attock river costs Rs15,000,\u201d he said. \u201cWe also have to purchase nearly 650 kilogrammes of wood and and other expenditures. This roughly amounts to between Rs30,000 and Rs40,000.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not all the Hindu families can afford to perform the last rites of their loved ones near Attock River. \u201cAmong the 1,250 Hindu families in the province, only a few are able to arrange a bier for their deceased in Attock,\u201d Sarbdiyal said. \u201cThis is because many Hindus live below the poverty line. It is impossible for them to spend large amounts of money on performing the last rites.\u201d<\/p>\n

Against rituals<\/strong><\/p>\n

Financial constraints have compelled these families to go against rituals and bury the bodies of their loved ones in nearby graveyards. The practice is fairly common in Bannu, Hangu, DI Khan and Malakand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not in our religion that we bury corpses,\u201d said 43-year-old Azeem Tara, a resident of Peshawar. \u201cWe burn a coin and use it to make a mark on the palm of the body to satisfy our ritual. Although people say minority communities enjoy equal rights, the ground reality seems to be completely different.\u201d<\/p>\n

No space for further burial<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not having a crematorium in Peshawar is just one of the woes.<\/p>\n

According to locals, there is no space in graveyards for Hindus to bury their loved ones. \u201cWe are forced to bury our deceased in old and broken graves,\u201d Kamla, a woman from the community in Peshawar, said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our religion we do not bury corpses \u2013 we live according to the teachings of our religion and want to be cremated when we die,\u201d said Sumitra, another local.<\/p>\n

Allot cremation grounds, Hindus exhort govt<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, an MPA and adviser to the chief minister of minorities\u2019 affairs, Sardar Soran Singh, said Peshawar is a crowded city and it would create problems if a cremation site is established.<\/p>\n

\u201cA foul smell will spread through the city,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have not yet received any demands for a crematorium in Peshawar. However, if we find a better place outside the city, we could think about establishing one.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source: Hindus forced to bury their dead with few and far crematoriums \u2013 The Express Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is home to a number of Hindus, there are few cremation grounds where their last rites can be performed. As a result, many Hindus have no option but to deviate from their rituals and bury them. \u201cWe have a few shamshan ghats [platforms designed for cremation of bodies by Hindus] in K-P,\u201d All […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2413"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2413"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2413\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2413"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2413"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalpress-new.hinduismnow.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}