Minority Report: Open air cremations, a seriously hot potato
On Tuesday we published a report about how a 69-year-old Hindu "guru" from Newcastle is launching a High Court battle next month to try and enshrine in law the right to cremate bodies in the open.
In the past 24 hours my email has been inundated with messages from those who either support this legal bid or angrily condemn it.
Rather than repeat all the arguments on this blog the full article can be read here.
But why not post what you think about this issue below? Is Britain ready for outdoor cremations? Should we try to accommodate a ceremony that has been practiced in South Asia for thousands of years and could be done away from the public gaze? Or is this just another step too far?
Let us know what you think...
I have seen numerous cremations in India and Bhutan. It is an education in mortality and makes the timid obsequies of 'decent' burial look childish. The facts of life and death are driven home with a frankness and directness burial or hidden cremation can achieve. It induces that catharsis of pity and terror that has long departed from our everyday life. It should be available to all who wish it, though obviously in designated areas where those who want to avoid reminders of dust and ashes can be untroubled. I would certainly choose this form for myself.
Posted by: Michael Kowalewski | Thursday, 16 October 2008 at 10:41 AM
it is fine only if it is safe, hygienic , harmless healthy.
Posted by: ems | Wednesday, 22 October 2008 at 10:52 AM
I find Michael Kowalewski's comment grotesque. Why on earth would anyone want catharses of "pity and terror" in their lives? I, too, having been born in India, have attended open air cremations - in fact, I attended one as a child. I don't want to see another one, thank you! If Mr Kowalewski wants cremation, he can have one at his local crematorium. I have attended my parents' and my parents-in-law's cremations and I found those quite harrowing enough.
Posted by: Hilary Minor | Wednesday, 22 October 2008 at 11:02 AM
In India local authorities are trying to persuade people to give up so called traditional methods of cremation, mainly because of the environmental cost involved. I never heard of any holier-than-thou religious group protesting in India. So I think we can safely conclude that this self-styled religious group only represents itself.
Posted by: Rajan Mehra | Saturday, 25 October 2008 at 01:14 PM
well clearly this is a non issue given the number of comments -- i suggest you find some other topic which will get everyone all riled up...
Posted by: Suresh Kumar | Tuesday, 28 October 2008 at 10:28 AM
If history has taught us anything it is if you want to dominate a people destroy their culture and traditions,exmaples abound today. Each immigrant into a society will gravitate to their own cultural comfort zone conjoin and reshape their local surrounds to meet aspects of the society they left.
This is another of those seemly minor things, that like the drip of water will errode the very foundations of a structure. Each component removed and replaced weakens the society into which the immigrant moved.
A large numbers of people aspire to retire or die in the country of their birth.
If the choice of the indigenous peoples is to give up the values that are theirs, for those imported from 200 + cultures, make no mistake once a precidence is set each of these will have the right to impose their own cultural characteristic included in the tools of law. Find another national identity for it will not be British as in an island people of great resiliance,courage,whose values derived from a christian work ethic,and survival in less than hospiable climate. The Hindu Man bringing this case needs to respect the culture in to which he chose to live. If cremation is his wish then daily direct flight to India are there to facilitate his personal needs, living or dead.
Posted by: Alexander | Sunday, 16 November 2008 at 07:51 AM
i think that they should be allowed, just so long as they are kept safe, clean and hygenic and out of total public view. I dont see why hindus and Sikhs shouldnt be able to follow their religion because of where they live...and afterall like Mr. Ghai said the muslims and jews got their graveyards so whys shouldnt sikhs and hindus get open-air cremations.....???
Posted by: Taylor | Thursday, 20 November 2008 at 07:14 PM
I'm not sure about the volume of open air cremations that would follow from allowing this and thus the impact. Although I was recently told in a lecture (yes I'm a student - of chemical engineering actually) that a large proportion of CO2 emissions were from cremations and that crematoriums were being pressured into installing CO2 removal measures on site or otherwise investing in CO2 sequestering initiatives to offset their contributions.
Now in an open air cremation there is no way to capture the CO2, so I believe that any subsequent open-air crematoriums could be subject to huge green taxes in this country unless they put a good effort into balancing their CO2 balance.
Not to mention the mercury problems that may be presented:
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/pollution-fears-hit-crematoria-702751.html
and association with fatal birth defects:
http://jech.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/57/6/456
Not many people would want open air crematoriums operating anywhere near their families.
Posted by: Charlie | Friday, 21 November 2008 at 03:21 AM