Gujarat crematorium promises smooth landing in heaven
One is called Moksha (salvation) Airlines and the other Swarg (heaven) Airlines, and both are promising turbulence-free travel to the world beyond, with a smooth landing.
But the offers come with riders: The supposed plane rides are meant only for departed souls and the destination is wherever afterlife takes the dead.
Modelled on an airport, complete with departure and arrival lounges with two replica aircraft in attendance, the Antim Yatra (final journey) crematorium in south Gujarat’s Bardoli, some 300 km from Ahmedabad, is like no other in the country.
To be inaugurated by the end of October, the crematorium resembling an airport terminal is aimed at lessening the pain of bereavement, powered also by belief that the passage to salvation for the departed souls will be smoother. “People are more than happy in accompanying you to the airport than to crematoriums. I want to ease the pain of people who lose their dear ones by making them believe that the soul has just begun a new journey,” said Somabhai Patel, chairman of the Rupaben Sitaram Trust that operates Antim Yatra.
The crematorium has been functional for the past three decades, but it’s only some years ago that the trust behind it thought of a makeover. The trust raised donations and has so far spent some ₹3.5 crore to give the crematorium a dash of airport ambiance. Forty-foot replicas of two aircraft, bearing the names Moksha Airlines and Swarg Airlines, are parked atop its dome.
When a funeral procession arrives, they will head to one of the five gates resembling airport terminals. When the pyre is lit, the sound of a jet taking off will be played, and when it ends, a plane will touch down noisily.
“As a child, I was always told by elders not to cry for departed souls as they leave for a new journey in planes,” Patel, 83, reminisced.
Cremation charges of ₹1,000 have been waived since 2015, which will continue to be free, making the final journey easy on the wallet.