Indian rituals after death

Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places like Kashi (Varanasi), Haridwar, Prayagraj (Allahabad), Srirangam, Brahmaputra on the occasion of Ashokashtami and Rameswaram to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into the water.

The big toes are tied together with a string and a tilaka (red, yellow, or white mark) is placed on the forehead.

The dead adult's body is carried to the cremation ground near a river or water, by family and friends, and placed on a pyre with feet facing north.

[3][5] He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a hymn, and places sesame seeds or rice called pind on the deceased's chest, hand and legs.

For example, followers of Ayyavazhi sect Samadhist the body, facing the geographic north in a padmasana position, without coffins and it is covered by sand or namam (sacred soil) as an act of austerity for the unfolding of Dharma Yukam.

Niravapanjali is a sacred ritual in Hinduism where after the cremation rites, the ashes are ceremonially immersed in holy water by the closest relatives, so that the soul may rise to heaven.

In Hinduism, king Bhagiratha is described to have performed a tapasya to bring down the river Ganges upon earth, so that he could immerse the ashes of sixty thousand of his slain ancestors in her sacred waters.

[9] Pind Sammelan, also called Spindi or terahvin in North India,[11][12][13] is a ritual performed in Hinduism on the 13th day of death of somebody.

Many people visit Hindu pilgrimage sites to perform, Śrāddha ceremonies, like Pehowa,[14][15][16] Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Gokarneshwar, Nashik, Gaya etc.

[18][19][20] Pitru Paksha is a 16–lunar day period in Hindu calendar when Hindus pay homage to their pitrs, especially through food offerings.