Pashupatinath, Nepal - Warren Richardson Photography

Pashupatinath, Nepal

Writing about something i really know nothing about, that being death, presuming to know would just make me a liar, all i do know that it is said, is to live this life as if it is my last, reaching understandings without belief, understanding through humanistic behavior to me is the key, watching others only gives me more of an insight into the one that has passed away, their overwhelming emotions, their purity in setting the one they love free.

In Nepal when someone dies, the families have only 24 hours to mourn over their loved one, within this time limit the families make their way to the river at Nepal's holiest place Pashupatinath with their loved one in hand, this is where the oldest sibling is singled out to take full responsibility showing how to let go of, "you are apart of me as i am apart of you" this emotion is severed through placing fire on the face of the loved one in an act that needs to be selfless, the oldest sibling is there to experience the hole process from the start to the finish, which takes up to 3 hours for the body to break down by using fire, once the body is no longer a visual entity, the ashes are swept into the river in which the Nepalese feel that this cleanses and frees the soul.

The eldest son, or a male mourner, or a priest – called the lead cremator or lead mourner – then bathes himself before leading the cremation ceremony.He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a hymn, places sesame seeds or rice in the dead person's mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with ghee (clarified butter), then draws three lines signifying Yama (deity of the dead), Kala (time, deity of cremation) and the dead.

A good way to pass through grief is to understand what has happened and share the feelings and emotions with relatives or people who also are grieving.

Offerings of money and sometimes rice are placed on the body of the deceased as to help them in the after life.

The reality of the loss is much more understood and accepted. The bereaved can still feel sadness, but has regained full functioning and has also reorganized life adjusting to the loss.

This short phase of mourning occurs when one finds out the loss. The person refuses to believe it. This is a more or less intense period where emotions seem virtually absent. The affected person can faint and may even vomit without being conscious. After this short stage of mourning the reality of loss sets in.

No large procession takes place, but rather the male family members carry the coffin from the home to the hearse and then follow in cars to the crematorium. The coffin is again carried by the men from the hearse into the chapel at the crematorium.

All those who attend the cremation, and are exposed to the dead body or cremation smoke take a shower as soon as possible after the cremation, as the cremation ritual is considered unclean and polluting.The cold collected ash from the cremation is later consecrated to the nearest river or sea.

Women separate from the men to mourn. It starts with denial and ends with acceptance. Grief can be defined as the period following the death of someone close.

In some regions, the male relatives of the deceased shave their head and invite all friends and relatives, on the tenth or twelfth day, to eat a simple meal together in remembrance of the deceased. This day, in some communities, also marks a day when the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.

A man turns the body over to help the body burn quicker.

The son leading the procession carries a fire pot when he leaves the house, which is used to light the funeral pyre.

Pashupatinath is one of the most holiest places in Katmandu. The Nepalese people cremate their dead here on a daily base.

The cremation ground is called Shmashana (in Sanskrit), and traditionally it is located near a river, if not on the river bank itself. Those who can afford it may go to special sacred places like Kashi (Varanasi), Haridwar, Prayagraj (Formerly known as Allahabad), Sri Rangam, Brahmaputra on the occasion of Ashokastami and Rameswaram to complete this rite of immersion of ashes into water.