Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh): The man, who, along with his two children, had committed suicide, alleging harassment of his wife by some influential villagers in Mandsaur, was cremated with rituals last week. However, the trio's ashes are still lying on the cremation ground, awaiting immersion in the holy Ganga.
As per Hindu beliefs, the ashes of the deceased must be accumulated and immersed in holy water after 3 days of cremation in order to set them completely free from this world. But the grieved Banjara family has a slightly different thought on this.
Belief in the Banjara community
Prakash and his family belonged to the Banjara community, which practices the "Sari Sorna" ritual. According to the ritual, the person responsible for the death collects the ashes with their own hands, goes to Haridwar to immerse the ashes in holy water, and also gets themselves tonsured to atone for their sins.
But ironically, the accused in Prakas’s case are in police custody at present. Therefore, even after a week of their deaths, the ashes of all three have not been collected yet, and the last rites have not been performed.
‘Matter discussed with the SDM,’ says Babulal Banjara
When inquired about the matter, State Free Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Caste Development Agency president Babulal Banjara said that, “The entire incident is within my knowledge. I have also discussed the matter with the SDM. Due to social custom, the ashes of the dead have not been collected yet. The society had also organized a panchayat regarding mediation.”
