LUCKNOW: The flood situation in Uttar Pradesh, especially in the cities like Prayagraj and Varanasi has disrupted the daily life of people, who now rely on boats for commutation. The most painful is that people are facing a lot of difficulty in performing the last rites of the deceased. People have to now wait for 4-5 hours to perform the last rites of their dear ones who left for heavenly abode.
“At least there is a wait of 4-5 hours for a body to be cremated as all the cremation grounds have submerged and the last rites are now being conducted at the electric crematorium where serpentine queues could be seen,” said a source of Prayagraj district administration.
The flood situation in Prayagraj is worsening by the day, with both the Ganga and Yamuna rivers flowing above the danger mark. More than 25 ghats of the Ganga-Yamuna have completely submerged including the cremation grounds located at Rasulabad, Daraganj, and Phaphamau.
As a result, crowds of mourners with bodies for last rites are gathering at the electric crematorium. Until two days ago, only about five bodies were arriving daily, but now the number has surged to 25–30 cremations per day. A similar situation prevails at the Phaphamau Ghat electric crematorium.
Under normal circumstances, last rites are performed beneath the Shastri Bridge in Daraganj. However, with the entire ghat submerged, cremations are now taking place on the road near the dam, where families must wait for hours for their turn.
Currently, around six to seven pyres burn simultaneously at the site. With such overwhelming demand, many families arriving from Prayagraj and nearby districts for last rites are being turned away from the ghats. Those who make it to the electric crematorium face hours-long waits in queue.
Meanwhile, the Ganga and Yamuna rivers in Prayagraj continue to flow above the danger mark, exacerbating the crisis.