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Kashi, or Varanasi, is a sacred city in Uttar Pradesh where cremation grants salvation. However, sadhus, children under 12, pregnant women, snakebite victims, and those with skin diseases are not cremated here
Kashi is believed to offer liberation through sacred cremation, but these five types of bodies follow a different path. (News18)
India is home to numerous pilgrimage destinations, each with its unique significance and importance. Some places are believed to absolve devotees of their sins, while others are renowned for curing ailments. People visit these sacred sites seeking solace and solutions to their hardships.
Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is renowned as a sacred city promising moksha (salvation). It is believed that those who die in Kashi attain direct passage to Vaikunth, the celestial abode of Lord Vishnu. Consequently, many individuals choose to spend their final days in Kashi.
Salvation In Kashi
The city houses numerous cremation ghats where funeral pyres burn ceaselessly, the ashes perpetually warm. However, few are aware that five types of bodies are never consigned to the flames in Kashi. These bodies are returned from the cremation grounds.
A video shared on social media by a boatman shed light on this little-known fact. Standing on the banks of the sacred Ganga, the boatman elucidated which bodies are exempt from cremation in Kashi.
The 5 Prohibited Bodies
- Sadhus: The bodies of Sadhus, ascetic holy men, are not cremated. They are given either Jal Samadhi (water burial) or Thal Samadhi (burial in the ground).
- Children: If a child passes away before the age of 12, their body is not cremated. Children under 12 years old are considered manifestations of God, hence the prohibition against cremation.
- Pregnant Women: The bodies of pregnant women are also exempt from cremation. The boatman explained that their abdomens swell, and cremation would cause them to burst on the pyre, resulting in the expulsion of the unborn child, an act considered inappropriate.
- Snakebite Victims: Individuals who succumb to snakebites are not cremated in Kashi. It is believed that their brains remain active for 21 days, and their bodies are set afloat in the river, tied to a banana stem. The superstition is that a tantric practitioner could potentially revive them if they find the body within this timeframe.
- Patients with Skin Diseases: Bodies of those who die from skin diseases, such as leprosy, are not cremated in Kashi. It is believed that cremating their bodies would release disease-causing bacteria into the air, potentially infecting others.
- Location :
Varanasi, India, India
