At the Bagmati River, tourists find themselves stunned by the scene before them: forms wrapped in shrouds decorate the ghats; whilst children wade through the dirt, and foreign visitors take photographs.[break]
Aidan Brady from the UK found the vibrant life on the banks to be in contrast to the presence of death there.
“I couldn’t believe that people were taking photographs and that children were fishing for possessions of the deceased. It was surprising that life could just continue around cremated bodies. I found their actions to be disrespectful.”
The public presence of dead bodies is a novelty to most travelers; and they become transfixed by the cremation ghats. Many have never seen a dead body before; and so they are often left overwhelmed. Tourists report feelings of shock, intrigue, and even fear. But one thing is common to all visitors – the act of an open-air cremation is both visually and emotionally intense.
Catherine Baoudi from Canada went to the Bagmati for the first time, and described her reaction: “I was obviously surprised; and in some ways scared. But I’m also really grateful that I had gained such a unique experience.”
Some travelers even feel that open-air cremation is preferable to the practices of their own countries.
Benjamin Russell from Australia said, “It’s actually quite a good way to approach death. In Australia, the cremation of my grandfather was so clinical. His coffin was placed on a belt which led to an incinerator – it seemed like a production line. It’s refreshing to see something natural and exposed. It’s important to remember that cremation in the Hindu faith is much more about the liberation of the soul.”
The Bagmati River appears to be divided. On one side, that of the Pashupatinath Temple, foreign tourists watch the cremations from afar, taking photographs and discussing the movements on the ghats. However, in most countries, taking photographs of a cremation or funeral would be considered shameful. But it seems that tourists cannot resist the temptation to capture such an intensely spiritual moment.
Anna Vukomanovic from Serbia confessed, “I was unsure of whether to take a photograph. At first, I thought it would be offensive to the families involved; then I realized that so many other tourists had their cameras out. From this, I assumed it was acceptable and took several.”
Perhaps it is this distance between mourners and tourists that makes their different purposes compatible. For although travelers photograph the cremations on the riverbanks, they are aware of a certain boundary: that their actions should not interfere with the ritual of spiritual passage.
Arun Gurung expressed his opinion on the constant appearance of tourists at the Bagmati, “I don’t mind the tourists. I just want them to learn something. If they don’t learn something, then it’s a waste of time.”
One thing in this life is certain – eventually, we all must die. But it is becoming increasingly apparent that people from western countries are petrified of death. As a concept, death is often suppressed. It is rarely discussed, and is even ignored. This is why the open nature of death in Nepal is so evidently shocking to travelers. Yet it is equally attractive, as witnessing the open-air cremations is enlightening. The Bagmati River provides a huge lesson to one and all: that death should be confronted and understood as a natural process of life. Without this lesson, living is devoid of its true meanings.
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