Now special packages for funeral rites too

Travel operators offer them and so do shopping malls. And now, special packages tailored to suit various budgets are on offer in cremation grounds in Uttar Pradesh for those performing funeral rites.

Ranging from Rs.5,000 to Rs.50,000, cremation grounds in various cities of the state, including capital Lucknow as well as Allahabad, Varanasi and Kanpur, are offering customised packages that include various services.

Depending on the money, services like performing special prayers, collecting havan samagri (offerings), taking the body to the cremation ground and performing religious practices for attainment of 'moksha' (peace) are included in the package.

"We begin the preparations as soon as we get the order. For example, we have varieties of wood - from low cost to sandal wood - along with a variety of low and high cost flowers," said Shubhash Mishra of the Bhainsa Kund cremation ground of Lucknow.

Those offering vehicles to bring the body to the cremation ground also provide various options.

"Although some people prefer bringing the body to the ground on their own, a majority prefer taking our services. We have big and mini buses, jeeps and even three-wheelers; depending on the capacity of the buyer, they can opt for a vehicle," said Rajesh Kumar, the vehicle contractor outside the cremation ground.

Important ghats of Varanasi and Allahabad have more diversified services to offer.

"If someone wants to buy the havan and pooja samagri on his own, we also provide assistants to enable them to get the best material at good rates from the markets adjoining the ghats. Although there is a separate fee for it, it does not add much to the special package," said Santosh Sharma of Varanasi's Manikarnika Ghat.

Varanasi, considered the most sacred place in India for performing last rites, also has packages ranging from Rs.100,000 to Rs.1 million.

"People come here from across the country and, besides performing the last rites, they also make huge donations. These include donating cows, offering clothes to poor, feeding hundreds of Brahmins, etc. We also offer these, but the donation offered to the poor or Brahmins is not a part of the package," Sharma added.

The packages have also helped develop a large number of markets in and around the ghats.

"Although these markets have existed here since the ghats developed, our packages have helped the shopkeepers to channel their business. Earlier, they were facing stiff competition amongst themselves, but slowly they have been able to optimise and fix a uniform rate," said Chandan Maharaj of Allahabad's Daraganj Ghat.

(Rajat Rai can be contacted at rajat.r@ians.in)

Last updated on Jul 1^st, 2009 at 11:02 am IST--IANS