Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 525

THE FUNERAL PROCESSION
485
been merely thrown over the body, is now wrapped around
it, and is bound strongly with straw ropes.
If the dead
Brahmin happens to leave a wife behind, his face is left
uncovered. The chief mourner then gives the signal to
depart, and. carrying fire in an earthen vessel, puts himself
at the head of the procession. After him comes the funeral
litter, ornamented with flowers, green leaves, coloured
cloths, and sometimes costly stuffs.
Surrounding it are
the parents and friends of the deceased, all of them without
turbans, and having simply a piece of cloth thrown over
their heads in token of mourning.
The women are never
allowed to attend the funeral ceremonies out of doors *.
They remain in the house and utter most lamentable cries.
On the way to the funeral pyre three halts are made.
Each time the mouth of the dead person is opened, and
a little raw and soaked rice is placed in it. so that hunger
and thirst may at the same time be satisfied. These halts,
however, have a more serious motive. Instances have
been known, it is said, of persons believed to be dead
having not been so in reality, or if really dead having
come to life again 2
Seeing that the spirits of the nether
world or their emissaries have been known to make mistakes
in their choice and to take one person for another, these
halts are made to give plenty of time for the spirits to
recognize any mistakes they may have made, so that no
person may be thrown on the funeral pyre who is still
destined to live.
Each of these halts lasts about a quarter
of an hour.
On arrival at the burning-ground a shallow
pit is first dug, about six feet in length and three in breadth.
This is then consecrated by mantrams and sprinkled with
ceremonial water, while several small pieces of money are
.
thrown into
it.
Then the funeral pyre is erected, and the corpse is placed
upon it. The chief mourner next takes a small ball of dry
1
This is not true of the Brahmins, whose women always follow the
procession to the cremation ground.
Ed.
- These halts are made to allow
time for recovery, if the man is not
dead, before reaching the cremation ground.
For it is a firm belief
that if by any chance the supposed corpse should revive after reaching
the pyre, dire consequences would result to the village. He is not,
under those circumstances, allowed to go back to the village, but is
expelled altogether.
Ed.