BERHAMPUR: The last rites of a 65-year-old tribal man, a converted Christian, were delayed by over 26 hours in Rayagada district after villagers reportedly refused to allow his burial in the local cremation ground. The incident was reported from Gajigaon village under Rayagada block.
Left with no option due to lack of an alternative burial site, family members of the deceased, identified as Jakaka Dam, were forced to perform the elderly man’s final rites on their own agricultural land on Friday.
Sources said Jakaka had converted to Christianity around five years ago. He was undergoing treatment for an illness for the past few months and died around 8 am on Thursday.
According to his family, they intended to bury him at the village cremation ground in accordance with Christian customs. However, villagers allegedly opposed the burial, claiming that the cremation ground was meant exclusively for members of the Hindu tribal community who follow traditional customs. Besides, only cremations, not burials, were permitted there.
Villagers reportedly argued that allowing the burial of a Christian at the site would violate long-standing religious traditions and offend the village deity, Jhangidi Devi. As a result, the family was unable to conduct the funeral on Thursday, and the body remained at home for more than a day.
With no alternative burial site available, the family finally buried Jakaka in their own agricultural land, where he had worked for years to support his family. The last rites were performed according to Christian customs.
The delay in Jakaka’s last rites also affected the entire village, as local custom prohibits cooking in any household until the funeral of a deceased resident is completed. Consequently, cooking remained suspended throughout the village until the burial was finally conducted.
Though no formal complaint was lodged with the local administration in connection with the incident, Seshkhal police remained present at the spot till completion of Jakaka’s burial to prevent any untoward incident.
Jakaka is survived by three sons and other family members. Sources said Gajigaon has around 200 families of which only six tribal families have converted to Christianity.