Full of life

This crematorium in Coimbatore is not just a shunned space which people only visit with trepidation and in times of death, but also for its idyllic ambience, writes Priyanka Dalal

In a quiet corner of Coimbatore’s Nanjundapuram area, there lies an unusual green pocket. Not too large, but tastefully done lawns with myriad trees and benches to sit in their shade. It is home to a gaggle of Australian guinea pigs, ducks and rabbits. As you enter, you might think you are either in a garden or maybe a zoo. But it is neither. It is in fact a crematorium.

Locals often take their daily walk around its lawns. There is a Kala Bhairava shrine inside the premise where rituals for the deceased are conducted. It is clean and adorned with fresh flowers. So much so that local families sometimes visit it just like any other temple. And there is a lush lotus pond right by this shrine where you can find cormorants, fishes and other wildlife.

On a typical day, if there aren’t any cremations taking place, then it could well be any pleasant community park with sitting areas, walking paths and a shrine for a spiritual ambience.

The cremation building with its tall chimney could be any maintenance shed. The only thing that gives it away is a board placed outside the building which talks about rituals for the deceased.

This is a local municipality crematorium maintained by the Isha Foundation. It is called Kayantha Sthanam which means ‘place where the body ends’. This was the first crematorium they took charge of way back in 2010. Since then, they now maintain 14 crematoriums in Tamil Nadu, including nine in Coimbatore city. And apart from the idyllic ambience, they have pioneered a more holistic crematorium service in other aspects, too.

Making a transition

They were one of the first in the country to shift to LPG cremations. Traditionally in India, wood has been used to cremate bodies. But with increasing population and urbanisation, procuring adequate wood supply is cumbersome. Not only is it expensive, but there are also storage and transportation related challenges.

In recent days, most crematoriums have an electric furnace facility. It is considered eco-friendly as it does not require wood. It is also considered a faster and cleaner alternative. However, there are a few challenges when it comes to maintaining an electric furnace. Mainly, it needs to be started many hours in advance of the cremation to heat it enough. When the number of cremations are low, it becomes very expensive and wasteful.

LPG is a newer alternative that is now being adopted rapidly across the country. These are the usual LPG cylinders found in kitchens. In late 2017, a 110-crore project was sanctioned by the Kerala government to upgrade its state cremation facilities to gas crematoriums. Not surprising considering the significant reduction in the cost.

Moreover, these LPG cylinders are easy to procure and handle. The crematorium at Nanjundapuram shifted to the LPG system many years ago when it was still very rare in the country.

While there is much discussion about other urban spaces like gardens, roads and transportation, typically not much is talked about crematorium facilities. And yet, it is a very sensitive and emotional public service that every society needs. One difficulty in maintaining such a space is the social stigma attached to working in a crematorium. The staff in these crematoriums are however, yoga practitioners and meditators. And they take pride in their services. The cremation process includes traditional chanting of age-old bhajans like Nirvana Shatkam, blowing of the conch shell and offerings to the shrine.

Ritualistic

At the Isha Yoga Centre located on the outskirts of Coimbatore, there are other rituals conducted for the deceased called the Kala Bhairava karma and Kala Bhairava shanti. These are conducted by the monks and volunteers themselves. Even at the crematorium, the staff often work side by side with monks and volunteers of Isha Foundation. The guinea pigs that gambol on the lawns unhindered were left there by an Australian Isha volunteer who had visited the crematorium. Festivals like Kala Bhairava ashtami are celebrated at this crematorium. A large number of locals and the Isha community partake in it.