Why Electric

The reasons are many.

Not Possible to fulfill material requirements

As per scriptures, the material used for funeral should be dependent on body weight of the departed person. Pure ghee should be equivalent to body weight (60 Kgs), wood should be six times (360 Kgs), samigri, Palash (45 Kgs), camphor (3Kg) and various other accompaniments. Not included are Sandalwood, Kesar, Kasturi which are prohibitevely expensive. Total cost of material prescribed at todays prices would be about Rs. 1 lakh.

It is time consuming and not safe

Wood based cremation process takes at least 3-4 hours to complete from start to finish ( besides mandatory 16 hours of cooling period). It is emotionally draining for family and other members to be present for long. Crematoriums don’t have chairs.People often resort to short cuts and save material by pouring kerosene instead of pure ghee. Recently, 11 people in Pune were hospitalized with sever burns during a funeral because diesel was used to expedite the process.

Cost is Prohibitive

Even with all short cuts, material cost of traditional cremation is at least Rs. twenty thousand while electricity based would cost Rs. 250 only ( in Pune ) and is subsidized by Government. Wooden cremation is about 80 times costlier.

Pollution increases / natural resource are depleted

Natural resources like wood camphor, wood, kesar and ghee are not in abundance like before. Wood burning without adequate ghee causes significant increase in air pollution.

Ease and completeness

Burning is surely complete in Electrical process because temperature and timings and monitored closely. Even collection of last remains ( asthi phool ) is easier and not time dependent. Needed mantras are recited beforehand with all symbolic ceremonies.