Hindu death rituals, also known as antyesti, include washing, anointing, dressing, and cremating the body. The rituals are performed at the home of the deceased and involve family and friends.
Rituals
- Washing: The body is washed
- Anointing: The body is anointed with herbs or oils
- Dressing: The body is dressed in a simple wooden casket
- Viewing: The deceased is presented in the casket and adorned with a garland of lotus flowers
- Chanting: Mantras are chanted to help the deceased transition to the next phase of life
- Pinda: Rice balls are placed near the coffin as an offering to the deceased and their ancestors
- Cremation: The body is cremated in a sacred fire, which is believed to purify the deceased and protect them from evil spirits
- Scattering ashes: The ashes are scattered in a sacred body of water to signify the separation of the soul from the body
- Shraddha: A ceremony is performed on the 13th day after death to place the soul with their ancestors and deities
Mourning period
- The mourning period lasts for 13 days
- Daily prayers and offerings are performed at home
- The family undergoes rituals to honor the deceased and assist their soul in reincarnation
Oona Masikam
The ritual process of offering food and water on the following days during the first year of death. The Sanskrit word “Un” (ऊन-Oona) means “Less than” in English.
21st day, 27th day, between 41st day to 45th day, between 171st day to 175th day, between 346th to 350th day from the date of death are the ritual dates.
Monthly Masikam time as per Karta’s residential city
Krishna Paksham (lunar waning phases)
Monthly Masikam: The ritual process of offering food and water 12 times to the departed soul. This is the specific Tithi day as per the Hindu calendar during the first year of death.
These dates are 30th, 60th, 90th, 120th, 150th, 180th, 210th, 240th,270th, 300th, 330th and 360th day from the date of death, as per the Hindu calendar.
As the querry starts in February we calculate the dates from February
Other than the above 6 monthly and Annual ritual
Ritual called Oona Masikam 1)between 171st day to 175th day, 2) between 346th to 350th day from the date of death are the ritual dates.
- First DayUnabdikam Masikam + homam+ Daanam+ Bhojanam
- Second DayVarshantika or Sodhakumbam+ homam+Daanam+Bhojanam
- Third DayAbdikam or Mrityu Tithi ritual shraddham+homam+Daanam+Bhojanam.
- Fourth Day1008 jap Navagraha Purvak Devatha Karyam+
Homam + Bhojanam
From ISKON (Hare Krishna Organisation) On the thirteen day after death, Yama’s messengers come for the preta. The preta now has a body, thanks to the pindas offered on the first ten days. Yama’s messengers grab this body and begin to drag it towards Yama’s abode. But the way is long and it takes three hundred and forty-eight days for the journey to be completed. The journey starts on the thirteenth day after death. Therefore, it is almost a year after death when the preta finally reaches Yama’s abode. During his long journey, the preta gets no food or water. It lives on whatever offerings are made to it in the form of pindas. That is the reason every month Masikam rituals are done to offer pindam
Normally these procedure is applied to all Hindus as per Sastras and Garuda puranam and Bhagavatham.