The post-death rituals of COVID-19 victims, whose unclaimed ashes were immersed in the Cauvery river in June this year, were performed by the Karnataka government, at Srirangapatna on October 4.
Revenue Minister R. Ashok participated in the ceremony (pinda pradhana), which was conducted by some priests at Gosai Ghat on the banks of the river under the supervision of head priest Bhanuprakash Sharma. The names of nearly 950 victims were invoked during the rituals, according to the priests who performed the ceremonies in the presence of Deputy Commissioner of Mandya and other officials of the district administration.
The Karnataka government took the lead in conducting the last rites to ensure what it described as a dignified farewell to COVID-19 victims whose ashes had remained unclaimed for months. They were subsequently immersed in the Cauvery at Belakavadi on June 2, while other rituals relating to the last rites were performed on October 4.
Mr. Ashok said the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed thousands of lives. Family members of many of the deceased could not ensure a dignified farewell due to the prevailing circumstances. “The last rites, performed as per Hindu traditions, is to ensure sadgati (salvation) to the deceased. We prayed for peace for the departed souls. We want to ensure that none of those who had died of COVID-19 – and whose family members could not perform the last rites due to various reasons – were deprived of the same,” he said.
