The Madras Cemeteries Board, which manages three Christian cemeterias in the city has decided to webcast funerals so relatives abroad can see it. The board has launched a website, www.madrascemeteries.com for this. Dr S Bosco Alangara Raj, honourary treasurer of the board, told Deccan Herald that webcast of funerals is the first of its kind in the world.
He said a trial webcast will be made on November 1, All Souls Day. The funeral will be recorded and made available online within an hour.
Friends and relatives of the dead can view the last rites on deferred webcast. "Families opting for webcast will have to pay fees and they will be given a password", Dr Raj said. Of the three cemeteries managed by the board, the Kilpauk general cemetery is one of the largest in Tamil Nadu.
It was opened in 1903 and it has an area of around 6.5 hecters. There are more than 50,000 bodies buried here. It is closed partially for new burials since April 2005 as it cannot take any more bodies. As a result, graves of those buried before 14 years are reopened for reuse by family members.
Tombs are built on top without damaging the old tombs.
As part of the efforts to make optimum use of available space, the board has decided to build 4 50 multi-tier vaults. These vaults, which will be ready after November 15, can be reused after pushing the remains into a pit.
