Cremation, Caste, and Cosmogony in Karmic Traditions.

In the Ashram all the expenses are covered and they
receive meals each day consisting of only vegetarian
food. As forest dwellers the Shaivas eat more fruit than
rice, and they use ganja which is strictly forbidden
among the Vaishnavas.
In Bangladesh the Vaishnavas are buried and the Shaivas
are cremated. The dead Vaishnavas sadhus are an
integrated part of the ashram and are taken care of by
their fellow disciples of Jagadbandhu. Eight sadhus from
the Sri Angan ashram were killed during the Liberation
War, and these were buried and given memorial statues
in the compound of the ashram. There are also other
memorials from sadhu burials within the Ashram area. In
2002 the disciple of Jagadbandhu, Shochi Nandan
Brahmachari, died at the age of 85, and according to the
other disciples he went to the Other-world and attained a
place in the heavenly abode (fig. 6.6). As indicated, the
Brahmacharis live in celibacy throughout their lives, and
since they are not married and live without family, there
is no mourning period after the burial, but three days
after the funeral the other sadhus offered him food. A
tulsi tree was planted on the grave. Before the funeral he
was lying within the ashram with the head towards
north, guarded by other sadhus who kept fires in a circle
around him while they were playing music and chanting
kirtan. He was carried seven times around the ashram,
clockwise, before he was brought to the cemetery south
of the temple. During the procession the participators
were continuously singing and drumming. At the
cemetery the deceased’s body was prepared for the last
rituals and the forthcoming entrance to the other world.
On the body, blessings were painted, and thereafter he
was raised and placed in the lotus position facing south.
A young disciple conducted the ritual of soul liberation
guiding the soul from his body into heaven and the
divine realms. The rite was shamanistic in character; the
musician sadhus were playing and the participants in the
procession were chanting louder and more intensively as
the ritual succeeded. The sadhu in charge of the funeral
guided the soul out of the body by various means; he
used two types of fire, water, flowers, and fans, and he
made smooth movements in front of the deceased’s
head, dragging and pulling the soul swiftly from the
dead body. Guided by the young sadhus’ gentle
movements, accompanied by the ecstatic music, all the
members of the funeral procession were throwing
flowers on the deceased. Thereafter, the dead sadhu was
carried in the lotus position to the grave flocked by the
procession. The grave was approximately 1,5 metres
deep, and a cubic coffin was placed at the bottom in
which the sadhu was seated (fig. 6.7). He was buried
sitting in the lotus or Buddha position with his back to
the south and the head facing north. The music and song
continued while the top of the coffin was put on, and
everyone in the funeral procession gave soil on the
grave. The grave was rapidly covered by soil, and the
procession went for prasad.
96
Mohantas – The Chosen People
The majority of the Hindus in Faridpur are low-castes,
and many of these were outcastes before they received
the teachings of Jagadbandu. The Mohantas became
disciples of the Godhead, but most of the low-castes, and
Brahmans as well, are followers of Jagadbandhu. The
Mohantas are Sudras according to the caste-system, but
they have ascended due to the opportunities created by
Jagadbandhu when he allowed them to touch him and
prepare his food. The Brahmans do not, however, take
water from the Mohantas, and inter-caste marriages are
also strictly prohibited. Despite Jagadbandhu’s elevation
of the Mohantas, in the Sree Angan Ashram some
sadhus perceive the Mohantas as Sudras or belonging to
the schedule castes. Others, however, argue that the
Mohantas are neither Sudras nor belonging to any of the
three other castes. After they received the teachings from
Jagadbandhu and became enlightened, they have been
outside the caste system, not as an outcaste but within
society as a respected group since Jagadbandhu preached
and taught them that all men are equal and that there are
no castes. Before they received the name Mohanta they
had their tribal name Bona. The Bona were Pahari –
“hilly” – forest people form the tribal areas. During the
British period they came to the lowlands from the hills
and worked in the indigo production. Indigo was largely
produced and manufactured in this area, but after its
decline in the 1860s the cultivation of jute increased.
When machines took over they became unemployed, and
fell under the power of the landlords, and served as
soldiers and warriors until Jagadbandhu enlightened
them. The Bonas as an ethnic group was the lowest of
the low, and they were stigmatised as an outcaste. They
were deprived socially and were not allowed to be in
public spheres.
There is a main difference between Bona people and
Ksatryias as warriors. The Ksatryias were religious
fighters who protected and fought for the religion and
country as a whole, whereas the Bona soldiers fought for
money and various landlords. Depending on which
landlord paid the highest salary, the Bona would change
their master and fight for the one who paid the most.
After being converted by Jagadbandhu their social life
improved; the Mohantas became socially and religiously
accepted, and could work and participate freely
wherever they wanted in the public sphere. They
contributed to society, and society acknowledged at least
parts of their new status, and this advancement of group
status is seen as a reciprocal relation. The Mohantas
claim that they are ranked higher than the Brahmans, but
it is only themselves who characterise them as
something else than Sudras. When Jagadbandhu said
“low caste persons who worship the Godhead are better
than those Brahmins who do not worship”, this is
consequently interpreted by the Mohantas in the way
that they are ranked above the Brahmans. This
interpretation has importance in the daily life.