The Bishnoi community, which worships black deer, loves nature. Forest conservation and wildlife conservation are prominent among the 29 rules of Guru Jambheshwar. This society is a part of Hindu religion. But there are many customs which show them a little differently. One such important custom is that of funeral. In Bishnoi society, a pyre is not made for the dead body, rather it is buried by digging a pit. This process is called soiling. People of the society say this ritual is for the betterment of the environment.
Bishnoi community resides most in Rajasthan. After this they live in Haryana then Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Bishnoi is a sect and was founded in 1485 by Guru Jambheshwar in Muqam village of Bikaner. A code of conduct was made for the people joining this sect, in which 29 rules were laid down. In these, most emphasis was given on love of animals and environment. The rituals of this sect are also different. These also include funeral rites.
After the murder of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and Baba Siddiqui, Bishnoi community is once again in the news. In Bishnoi society, Guru Jambheshwar implemented all the rituals in a very simple manner. According to Bishnoism.org, Bishnoi sect has different rituals from many sects. While among Hindus there is a 12-day long Patak (Sog), while in the Bishnoi sect there is a three-day long Sutak. Guru Jambheshwar, the founder of the sect, asked him to dig a pit on his ancestral land and bury his dead body for the last rites.
According to the rules of Bishnoi sect, no person is cremated after his death. Guru Jambheshwar Maharaj strongly opposed this. The reason for this is forest conservation. It is believed that wood is required to burn the dead body and for this green trees are cut. The society believes that burning dead bodies pollutes the air, hence the decision to bury the dead bodies for cremation in the society was taken by Guru Jambheshwar Maharaj. The society continues to follow it even today.
In Bishnoi society, when someone dies, his dead body is made to lie on the ground. According to the rules, the dead body is bathed by mixing Ganga water in filtered water. Then he is dressed in a cotton cloth (shroud). The core is held at one corner of the shroud cloth. A man is shrouded in white, a married woman or a virgin is shrouded in red, a widow is shrouded in black, while sages and saints are shrouded in saffron cloth.
The dead body is carried to the place of cremation in the bier on the shoulders of the deceased's son or brother. All the people participating in the funeral procession walk on foot. The dead body is buried by digging a pit on the deceased's land. The people of the society call that pit home. It is dug seven feet deep and two or three feet wide. After bringing the dead body into the house, it is made to face north. During this, the son of the deceased person removes the shroud from the mouth of the dead body and says, 'This is your house.' Then the mouth is covered again with a shroud. After that the dead body is buried by adding soil with hands.
After burying the dead body, water is poured over the pit and millet is sprinkled on it. Then all those who shouldered the dead body take bath over it. The rest of the people who came for the funeral take bath nearby, wash their clothes and wear other clothes. After returning home and performing the ritual of Kagol, the family members of the deceased are shaved by the barber, which is called Khizmat Khunti. In this way the dead body is cremated in Bishnoi community.
