ON THE END AND AFTER

A recent bereavement took me to Hyderabad, where I had a rather unexpected yet pleasant experience at a cremation center. It was unlike anything I’ve seen in Chennai. The place felt clean, green, and warm. There were no hangers-on waiting to extract their pound of flesh.

The electric crematorium featured a viewing center, allowing family and friends to observe the solemn ceremonies with dignity. The toilets were hygienic, and water taps were strategically placed throughout the premises. There was no stench, no sign of decay—nothing reminiscent of the typical image of a cremation center in India.

The contrast was stark when I compared it with the average cremation center in the country. So, how did they pull it off?

The facility we visited was run by Swarg Vatika Trust (https://www.swargvatika.org/), and I must say, they’ve done an incredible job. They offer four types of cremations—from traditional to modern—all eco-friendly. The center includes a parking facility for 75 cars, RO water dispensers, and a locker facility for ash storage. Pandits can be arranged on request, and they provide body freezer boxes and vehicles for the last journey.

In essence, they’ve cracked the format for dignified cremations in the Hindu tradition.

I understand that Hyderabad has several such centers. Everyone seems to talk about Vaikunta Mahaprasthanam, which has taken services to a new level by securing ISO certification.

The innovation in Hyderabad is largely due to the government allowing crematoriums to be run under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Clearly, this model is working, unlike the government-run crematoriums in most of India, which are notorious for being poorly maintained and staffed by individuals indifferent to providing a dignified send-off.

As a nation that experiences over 10 million deaths annually, isn’t it time we fixed this broken system?

Why can’t the Hyderabad model be replicated elsewhere?

My brother-in-law, Prasad Mangipudi, made an excellent suggestion recently. He wondered why we can’t have a Ministry of Good Practices to compile the best practices from across the country and focus on cross-pollinating them across sectors.

On the subject of death, another friend, Anbu Chezhian, pointed out a different issue. Death is a terrible experience in gated communities in India. After paying a fortune for a house, families often end up conducting funeral ceremonies in basement parking lots due to the lack of space. Many high-rises don’t even have stretcher-compatible lifts, making it difficult to transport the deceased with dignity.

There’s always a party hall, but why not include a puja room where the entire community can perform last rites without fear of offending neighbors?

Agni (sacred fire) plays a crucial role in Hindu death rituals. Yet, in many apartments, water sprinklers get triggered during these ceremonies because the sensors mistake the sacred fire for a fire accident. Can’t builders, who charge exorbitant rates, make homes more compliant with religious sentiments?

I realize I’ve unpacked a lot of thoughts here, but I’m sharing them in the hope that someone, somewhere, will listen and take action.