Historical Significance of Cremation Process

At the time of Corona virus outbreak, the world has known the importance of cremation. According to WHO guidelines, cremation is the best method for disposing the dead bodies during an epidemic.

What is cremation-

Cremation is the method of disposing the dead body through burning or combustion.

The process of cremation

Image courtesy: Wikipedia 

After cremation about two and half kilograms remains is produced, known as 'ashes' and consists of unburned fragments of bones. They do not constitute risk to health and may be buried, scattered in fields and water bodies or disposed in various ways. In India, there is a vast practice of ashes disposal in holy rivers at Haridwar, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gaya etc.

Cremation at Manikarnika ghat, Varanasi 

Image courtesy: Wikipedia 

History of cremation-

The earliest archeological evidence of cremation in the world was found in Australia at lake Mungo.

(ref- Bowler, J. M. 1971. Pleistocene salinities and climatic change: Evidence from lakes and lunettes in southeast Australia. In: Mulvaney, D. J. and Golson, J. (eds), Aboriginal Man and Environment in Australia. Canberra: Australian National University Press, pp 47- 65.)

In India, the process of cremation started in mid to late Harappan period during about 19th century BC in the form of "cemetery H culture." However the classical burial of the bodies buried in wooden coffins were also found which were nearly contemporary to the cemetery H culture.
(ref- Sarkar, Sasank Sekhar (1964), Ancient Races of Baluchistan, Punjab and Sind.)

Cemetery H culture was established during 19th century BC to 13th century BC in Punjab region of North Indian subcontinent. This culture was also present at other sites of Indus valley civilization as Kalibangan. In Gandhar region, it was practiced upto much later period.
(ref- M Rafiq Mughal Lahore Museum Bulletin, off Print, vol. 3, No. 2, Jul- Dec. 1990 (1).

Many Gandhar grave cemeteries are unearthed in area between Peshawar and Chitral as both the sides of Hindukush mountains. These cemeteries are dated between 1710 BCE to 200 CE. These graves consist of an oblong pit with stone lined walls and stone slab to cover it. At Katelai, two burials of horses were found along with their masters. A copper model of horse was also found as grave article at Katelai. Iron articles are rarely found here.

The historians considered that this culture was related to early Aryans and imposed on Harappan civilization by them. But according to Kennedy, Mallory and Adams it was not the culture of different people but shows a clear biological affinity with earlier population of Harappa.
(ref- Mallory, J. P.; Adams, D. Q. (1997), Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, London and Chicago: Fitzroy-Dearborn.)

Nomenclature-

Cemetery H culture was named after a cemetery found in area "H" at Harappa. Here the urns having cremated remains were found in brick lined spaces.

Features of Cemetery H Culture-

• The body was cremated and the bones were picked and stored in a painted jars called burial urns. Later those urns were buried in mud brick lined space like the classical coffin burial.

• The urns were red colored pottery, on which different figures as antelopes, peacocks, sun, stars etc. were painted in black color.

• The other materials found with the urns were different from classical Harappan burials. The presence  of marine shells, wheat and barley was decreased while the rice was increased gradually.

• In some urns of Harappan H culture, there are figures of peacocks with hollow bodies and a small human from inside, which was interpreted as soul of the dead.

• In some urns, the hound was also present, which is seen as symbol of Yama (God of death).

Cremation in the Rigveda-

• According to the Vedic mythology, each living creature is composed of atman (soul) and the body. At the time of death, the soul leaves the body. The soul is immortal and the body is vehicle. The body consists of five elements- air, water, fire, earth and sky. The last ritual is the process of returning the five elements to the nature. 

शृतं यदा करसि जातवेदोअथेमेनं परि दत्तातपितृभ्यः।
यदा गच्छात्यसुनीतिमेतामथा देवानां वशनीर्भवाति।।

ऋग्वेद 10: 16: 2

O Agnideva, when you burn the dead body completely, endow this soul to the Pitra (the forefather God). May this soul live in the heavens until it gets the body again. 

• The process of Antyesti (cremation) is described in the tenth Mandal of the Rigveda. In the hymn 10: 15: 14, there is reference to the cremated (agnidagdha) and uncremated (an-agnidagdha). This signifies that the bodies of their forefathers were cremated as well as buried in the coffins.

ये अग्निदग्धा ये अनग्निदग्धा मध्ये दिवः स्वधया माद्यन्ते।

तेभिः स्वरालसुनीतिमेतां यथावशं तन्वं कल्पयस्व।। 

ऋग्वेद 10: 15: 14

O Agnideva, our forefathers who are cremated or not cremated, joy in their offerings in the midst of heaven. You also take offerings with them and grant divinity to those souls. 

Conclusion-

Many historians have a belief that the latter Harappans had some knowledge about the Vedic rituals, which was not imposed on them from outside. From the above description, we may conclude that the Vedic civilization might have been developed among the late Harappan people and the cemetery H culture is a connecting link between the above two cultures.