As you drift past the ghats of Varanasi, enjoying a boat ride on the deep waters of the Ganga, you can see a ghat swarming with people clad in white. Amidst it all, a large fire steadily burns. At the back, two chimneys from the electric crematorium stretch into the sky. That is the Manikarnika Ghat, believed to be one of the holiest cremation places for Hindus.

Post-death and funeral customs in Hinduism stem from a deep-rooted belief in reincarnation. In total, the entire funeral and mourning period spans 13 days. The body remains at home until its cremation, usually within 24 hours after death. During this time, the body is first ceremonially bathed and then washed with milk and honey. Then, it is wrapped in a white cloth. The bath is done to cleanse the body, and white represents purity and peace.

A brief wake (visitation) is held before the cremation, for visitors, friends, and family to pay their final respects. After this, the body is transported to the cremation site and cremated on a pyre. This is believed to liberate the soul from the shackles of the physical body, allowing for reincarnation. Traditionally, the ashes are immersed in the Ganges, but other rivers are also acceptable substitutes, based on the deceased's wishes.

The family observes a 13-day mourning period, in which they practice a series of austerities. These include not consuming food that has salt and sleeping only on the floor. On the final day, alms are given to the poor and priests, to pay homage to the deceased. The austerities are observed to aid the mourning of the deceased. So, after 13 days, family members can accept their grief and move forward.

In the times of the COVID pandemic, the fear of infection highly outweighs the importance of such customs. People pass away alone in hospital beds, bodies aren't being claimed or collected from hospitals. While government guidelines allow cremation and burial, restrictions include no-to-limited viewing of the body, no bathing, and complete PPE for all those present.

However, in these trying times, a community of social workers, health officials, and health workers have come forward to ensure that the dead receive a dignified send-off. Like in life, where things don't always go the way they're planned, in death, too, plans have changed. Yet, like the eternally burning flame that burns at Manikarnika Ghat, death doesn't extinguish the light.