Dear Joe, Its jadugiri at least in the West. Things vanish, and are tied to the kind of service one pays for. There are more ashes than the bhik they give back to family. The UTakers will dodge this question. But nothing should stop them from saying that since the urns are normally small that is what people get unless asked for. It also simplifies the process for them for sure.
Two instances: In India: I attended Aaji Ajgaonkar' cremation in Chembur. None of her four grandkids from one side were married, and they were fine with me attending it. I stayed there for a long time, and there were more ashes. In the US: I attended my friends mothers cremation and saw the entire casket being put in the furnace at a cemetery in Queens (maybe in Brooklyn). I have no clue what happens if one is not in attendance at the cremation. I am not sure whether you are in India, but some cemeteries in the US have a furnace. C and his wife were down there in the furnace room. I was at cemetery level at a window looking down. The undertaker's man (a freelancer) and a cop--I believe permitted me to watch since he was happy that I knew his role, etc., and all the other cop stuff. Another story for my real old age. Casket or not they still got some ashes, but here is the caveat is I believe you get the amount of ashes based on the urn you purchase in a few days upon visiting the undertaker. Now there could be a law stating that one cannot take home an hando (or say bucket) of ashes. But observe the business side of it: one gets the amount of ashes that fill the urn (not vorn, to make batkht!). Excuse my funkiness. Now, unlike the Japanese and course in India to--in the US one is not part of gathering the ashes of ones own; but possible I would think where there are fewer cremations and smaller places. Considering all the shit with Arthur Andersen, Enron and a slew of other gootmalgiri/ lootmargiri (its all the same mindset) --shortcuts; one simply cannot say whether ones ashes are not mixed with someone elses! Avois, kit munta tum. Voi ge maim mornant to pommerian zalo! The remainder of the ashes must simply be waste or whatever. If there is money to be made, then based on the above--someone is making it (even if it be pennies). Also, people here although they may not say it (if they are even aware), prefer a small urn (certainly sounds better that its synonyms). Now suddenly ones gets into symbolism and the handful of ashes stands for the whole. Avois, a hologram of the mind! Less is More: Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Less is a Bore: David Smith In Japan they go picking up small bone fragments and the y-bone. There then tend to bury the ashes in a family grave, although people scatter them to the winds more and more. It is also normal to distribute ashes to various locations: home, company, family grave, etc. See, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_funeral Best. Btw, you made my day in that--I can share this kind of stuff and move on to a project that fell off the table. ++++++++++++ venantius j pinto > Message: 5 > Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 21:52:23 -0400 > From: " joe lobo" <[email protected]> > To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" > <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Goanet] Unrest Eternally ! > > > Venantius, > I have often seemed puzzled in my mind as > to how cremation of an entire body with the solid wooden casket > only amounts to a small canister (urn) of ashes. I phoned a > couple of funeral parlours in my area who directed me to the > crematorium operators to answer my queries. Their answers seem to > dodge my question......... as to whether the body was removed and > the casket resold ( recycled) ?.........maybe you could illuminate > me >
