ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with understanding the beliefs, attitudes, and values which Hindus (in India and those living abroad) in general have towards death and bereavement. It examines the rites, rituals, and ceremonies associated with death. One cannot but feel spiritually uplifted by the harmonious confluence of Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam during the twelve days of grief and mourning. From a financial point of view, it is obvious that a twelve-day religious ceremony at home can cripple a family of more than moderate means. But since a religious ceremony of such an extended period is seen as an act of supreme piety and ensures the repose of the departed soul, the families that can afford them seldom baulk at the extra expenses which such ceremonies entail. Hinduism, partly as an attempt to protect itself from the influence of Islam, opted for rigid orthodoxy; power was vested in Brahmins who substituted elaborate and expensive rituals for simple worship.
