Asthi Visarjan: A Guide to Honoring the Departed
Asthi Visarjan, or Asthi Pravah, is one of Hindu culture’s most important religious rituals. It refers to the practice of immersing the leftover bones and ashes of the dead person after cremation into the Ganga river. It is the last ceremony performed after a person’s death. After the person’s death, they are cremated normally on a funeral pyre, or the body is placed on logs of fire.
Asthi Visarjan must be performed accurately as it is the final ceremony or ritual in a person’s life. Since it is advisable to follow proper rituals and mantras, you will not be able to perform them. You should book an expert Pandit who can help in performing all the rituals of Asthi Visarjan properly with proper traditions.
SmartPuja has professional Pandits who are experts in the field and can ensure that the Asthi Visarjan ritual is performed accurately. With knowledge of mantras, there are over 1200+ Pandits on the platform, which can help you perform Asthi Visarjan accurately and various other Pujas and ceremonies.
[contact-form-7 id="14022" title="Contact form 1"]You can book the Pandit for Asthi Visarjan from the official website “smartpuja.com“. As per your preference, you can also choose regional Pandits, who will provide you with all the relevant services. You can book a SmartPuja pandit in:
| Ahmedabad | Bangalore | Chennai | Delhi |
| Hyderabad | Kolkata | Mumbai | Pune |
To know more about the religious procedure, contact our experts at 080-61160400.
What is Asthi Visarjan?
Asthi Visarjan is a ritual performed after the cremation of a dead person. Asthi stands for leftover bones and ashes of the dead person. Visarjan means immersion. Therefore, the entire term stands for the immersion of the bones and ashes of the dead person. The ashes are usually immersed in the holy Ganga river.
It is believed that immersing the ashes and leftover bones of the dead in the river Ganga is sacred. Asthi Visarjan should be performed properly, or it is believed that the soul of the dead will never be able to rest once it leaves the material body.
Why is Asthi Visarjan Performed After Death?
Performing asthi visarjan ensures that the elements of the material body reduce to basic elements. The body is made of five elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ether. On cremation, the body merges with these five elements, and whatever is left, the bones and ashes, have to be turned into peaceful places, hence the asthi visarjan.
When the soul leaves the mortal body, it moves to its new life and embarks on a new journey of life. However, it is believed that the soul will never truly be able to embark on the new if the old body is not cremated properly. Moreover, the asthi visarjan ensures that the elements of the body mix into the nature from which it emerges.
Therefore, performing asthi visarjan ensures that human life has completed one circle by returning to the elements from which it is made.
Preparations for Asthi Visarjan
Death can be an emotional time in a person’s life. Therefore, preparing for Asthi Visarjan during this time can be tough as many people don’t know how to prepare for it. Therefore, working with professionals eases much pain, and SmartPuja can help you connect with these professionals.
Gathering Materials and Tools
Collect all the necessary materials and tools for performing the Asthi Visarjan. It would help if you got an urn or Kalash in which you will collect the asthi or leftover remains of the dead.
Choosing a Location for Asthi Visarjan
Choosing the right location for Asthi Visarjan is exceptionally crucial. The asthi is usually immersed in Ganga as it is considered sacred. Therefore, they usually prefer to perform Asthi Visarjan in Varanasi and Haridwar.
Preparing the Asthi Visarjan
To perform the Asthi Visarjan, it is necessary to collect and store the asthi in an urn or Kalash. The opening up of the urn must be wrapped with a red cloth.
Hiring a Pandit or Priest for Asthi Visarjan
While you may not be able to conduct Asthi Visarjan on your own, hiring professional Pandits who can perform the rituals and traditions properly is advisable.
Asthi Visarjan Procedure
The procedure of Asthi Visarjan typically includes the following steps:
- Performing the Shradh ceremony: The Shradh ceremony is a Hindu ritual to honour and pay respect to the ancestors and deceased loved ones. It is usually performed before Asthi Visarjan.
- Preparing the ashes for immersion: The ashes are collected and placed in a biodegradable container, such as a bamboo basket or an urn made of clay.
- Traveling to the location for Asthi Visarjan: The location for Asthi Visarjan is usually a sacred river or ocean, such as the Ganges River in India or the Bay of Bengal.
- Performing the puja for Asthi Visarjan: A puja, or religious ceremony, is performed to honour and pay the deceased’s respect. Offerings such as flowers, fruits, and rice may be made, and prayers may be recited.
- Immersing the ashes in the sacred river or ocean: The ashes are then immersed in the sacred water, symbolizing the soul’s release from the physical body and its journey to the afterlife.
- Final prayers and offerings: The family members and friends of the deceased may offer final prayers and make additional offerings, such as the scattering of flower petals, to complete the Asthi Visarjan ceremony.
When is the Right Time for Asthi Visarjan?
Asthi Visarjan is usually performed three days after the day of cremation. If the asthi isn’t immersed till the 10th day, the asthi Visarjan should only be performed after the completion of Tirtha Shraddha.
You must hire a professional Pandit to perform the Tirtha Shraddha. You might as well consult the Pandits about the most auspicious time to perform the Visarjan.
Who Must Perform Asthi Visarjan?
Followers of the Hindu religion of the deceased’s family are allowed to perform the Asthi Visarjan. The family must perform the Asthi Visarjan for the aatma to achieve Moksha. Asthi Visarjan is one of the most important rituals in the Hindu religion, as seen above, which is why it is crucial to take the help of only Pandits. They are aware of rituals and traditions and can therefore perform them properly.
Rules to Follow While Planning for Asthi Visarjan
Pandits suggest that the deceased’s family follow all the rules and rituals properly while performing the Asthi Visarjan. Below are the rules that they must follow:
- Store the Ash of the dead in a mud pot and cover the opening with a red cloth.
- When traveling to the Tirthsthal (where you will perform Asthi Visarjan), never place the Kalash on the ground.
- Wear a clean dhoti to perform the Pooja.
- Work with a professional and knowledgeable priest who knows how to conduct the Asthi Visarjan Pooja properly.
- The rituals of Asthi Visarjan and Pind Daan will vary for every community. Therefore, it is advisable to hire Pandits from your community.
You can hire Pandits from different communities from SmartPuja. You can visit the platform and choose Pandit after making half the payment.
Don’t During Asthi Visarjan
Here are a few things that you should not be doing while performing the Asthi Visarjan:
- Never place the Kalash on the ground while you’re moving to perform the Asthi Visarjan process.
- Never miss out on performing the Asthi Visarjan within time.
- Never miss out on any one ritual while performing the Asthi Visarjan, or it will lead to the soul of the deceased suffering.
Instant Online Pandit Booking for Asthi Visarjan
Asthi Visarjan requires the proper performance of the rituals by following all the traditions. Hiring professionals and knowledgeable Pandits is advisable if you want to perform Asthi Visarjan adhering to all guidelines. SmartPuja can be a great place to hire an instant online Pandit who can help you perform the Asthi Visarjan as per the rituals. The Pandits will benefit by arranging everything you need for the rituals.
You can also connect with us via our Contact Us Page for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Hinduism, Asthi Visarjan, or the immersion of ashes in the water, is a traditional ritual performed after cremation to symbolize the release of the soul from the physical body and its journey to the afterlife.
The procedure for the interment of ashes varies depending on the cultural and religious traditions followed. In Hinduism, the ashes are typically collected after the cremation and placed in a river or ocean. The family members and friends of the deceased may offer prayers and perform the ritual.
Cremated ashes do not deteriorate over time and can last indefinitely. However, the physical container holding the ashes may deteriorate over time.
Some families keep the ashes in an urn or other container to memorialize their loved one, while others may scatter the ashes in a particular place or perform Asthi Visarjan.
In Hinduism, certain rivers and oceans are considered sacred for Asthi Visarjan. The Ganges River in India and the Bay of Bengal are the most famous. Other rivers and oceans considered sacred for this ritual include the Yamuna River, the Godavari River, the Krishna River, and the Saraswati River.
