Hindus urge Malta to permit traditional open pyres till proper crematorium is ready

VALLETTA, Malta - Dec. 21, 2019 - PRLog -- Hindus should be allowed to cremate their deceased on traditional open pyres in Malta till proper crematorium was built and available for usage; Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, stated in Nevada (USA) today.

Although a new law allowing cremation was passed in Malta Parliament in May last, but a functioning crematorium is nowhere in sight. According to some estimates; going through blueprints, approvals, construction, licensing, etc.; it might be 2023 when a working crematorium would be available to the public for cremation of their loved ones.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that Malta, in the meantime, should allot a cremation ground near a body of water where Hindus could cremate their deceased on open pyres.

Malta, not having mechanism for the cremation of deceased Hindus, was forcing the community to bury their loved ones in contradiction of their long-held beliefs that burial hindered soul's journey; Rajan Zed stressed.

Zed further said that Malta should show some maturity and be more responsive to the hurt feelings of its hard-working, harmonious and peaceful Hindu community; which had been in the country since 1800s and had made lot of contributions to the nation and society; and continued to do so.

Rajan Zed pointed out that cremation had been a pre-BCE tradition prescribed in ancient Hindu texts. Cremation signified spiritual release, helped severe ties to earthly life and gave momentum to the soul for its continuing spiritual journey. World's oldest extant scripture, Rig-Veda, told us: Agni, set him free again to go to the fathers.

It was simply heartbreaking for the community to perform something in clear violation of their faith. Being able to follow one's faith traditions was a fundamental human right, Zed said.

Funeral rites/ceremonies were one of the main samskaras (sacraments) of Hindu life. In majority cases, Hindus were cremated, except infants and ascetics. After some ancient rituals at the cremation, remains (bones/ashes) were ceremoniously immersed into holy river Ganga or other bodies of water, helping in the liberation of the deceased. In Hinduism, death did not mark the end of existence; Rajan Zed noted.

Malta should follow its own constitution, which stated: "All persons in Malta shall have full freedom of conscience and enjoy the free exercise of their respective mode of religious worship". Moreover, Malta, a member country of European Union, reportedly was a signatory to the Protocol 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights; Zed added.