PURI: As the sea breeze wafted in from the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal, Saroj Barik sat cross-legged on the cold floor of Swargadwar in Puri on a December night, staring at his grandmother’s body laid out on a bamboo bier. It had been three hours since Saroj and his family arrived from Bhingarpur, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, at the holy crematorium but the final rites of the deceased elder was yet to commence.
“Our serial number is 106. We will be allotted one of the ‘Antim Bishram’ pindis after four more bodies are moved to the pyre for cremation,” said Saroj as the family waited for their turn to bring the body to the final rest platform for the rites.
The grief of losing a loved one is not only an emotional crisis to tide over at Swargadwar, the protracted wait before that final goodbye hurts too. Saroj is not the only one who faces this ordeal. An unprecedented rise in the number of cremations in recent months has left the system stretched and the facilities overwhelmed at the holy crematorium as scores of families return with mixed experiences.
“Out of 28 pindis (platforms) only 24 were in use, while the rest had been kept for emergencies. However, the surge in the number of bodies forced all 28 pindis to be put to use,” said one of the staff.
Messy affair
The rise in numbers presents many challenges. More number of cremations means more family members and pressure on the existing facilities. Cleanliness and sanitation have gone for a toss with more and more people arriving at Swargadwar. The washrooms are messy. People are forced to use private toilets even as one of the toilets meant for the public is kept locked to cater to the staff, alleged Manoj Bhoi who was attending cremation of a family member.
Almost all corners of the cremation ground are stained with betel spit. Even the drinking water kiosk hasn’t been spared, creating an unhygienic and unhealthy atmosphere. The cafeteria opened following renovation of the crematorium is also lying defunct. The 45 staff engaged to keep the premises clean feel the pinch as the number of bodies has soared. As the evening falls, the queue of bereaved families gets longer.
Rising load
Sources said the number of bodies cremated at the ground has witnessed a three-fold increase in the last five years. Against 40 to 50 bodies received on an average a day during 2020, the figure has surged to over 100. As per statistics, Swargadwar received a staggering 1,647 dead bodies for cremation in the 15 days between December 9 and 23. That’s roughly 110 cremations every day. On December 23, a total 112 bodies were cremated at the site, while the number peaked to 136, the highest in the known history of Swargadwar, on December 15.
Swargadwar (which means Gateway to Heaven) is a venerated ground as Hindus believe the soul attains the ultimate salvation when a person’s funeral rites are conducted here. To provide grieving families a seamless system, the state government created Swargadwar Seva Samiti (SSS) which took charge of the revamped cremation ground around 2021 and established Swargadwar Seva Kendra, a single window facility by engaging sevakas (volunteers) to provide all facilities for a stress-free and dignified cremation.
“Following the transition, all that a family has to do is to bring the mortal remains of their near and dear ones to Swargadwar and submit relevant documents. Once the process is complete, the Seva Samiti through an agency Sanjog takes care of the rest of the rituals till the body is cremated. This is bringing in more people to Swargadwar,” said one of the management staff.
He, however, said the state government’s Harischandra Sahayata Yojana that offers free cremation service to the families of poor and destitute has become a major contributor to the increasing load. Over 60 per cent to 70 per cent cremations at Swargadwar daily are covered under this scheme. As per available information, cremation of 82 out of the total 112 bodies on December 23 was covered under Harischandra Sahayata Yojana. Similarly, 76 out of 103 bodies received on December 22 and 87 out of 114 bodies received on December 21 were covered under the scheme.
While the flagship scheme and single window draw more people to Swargadwar, the Swargadwar Seva Samiti has been left grappling with the service beyond the single window system. And, the district administration turning a blind eye to the emerging problems. “Lack of facilities for cremation and financial burden associated with it rethmains a challenge and more and more people from rural areas are opting for this scheme. Besides, everyone wants their loved ones to be cremated at the holy ground,” said another Swargadwar staff.
Long hours of wait trigger resentment among the people and more so, when the management is forced to pay attention to VIPs turning up at the facility during cremations. There was also report of scuffle between a group with the management leading to suspension of a security staff recently, sources in the Seva Samiti said.
Environment concerns
Beyond these, looms another challenge with an environmental angle. The spike in the number of bodies arriving for funerals has warranted an unexpected surge in demand for firewood. Sources said approximately 1.8 quintal of timber is used for one cremation at the site. This way, Swargadwar now needs over 18 tonne to 20 tonne of firewood on a daily basis. “Roughly two trees need to be chopped to meet demand for one body. At this scale, hundreds of trees are required to be chopped every month to meet the growing demand,” admitted an official.
The state-owned Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) is the sole supplier of firewood to Swargadwar and it is now devising ways to find the sources. It is sourcing casuarina for use in pyre from Puri, Khurda as well as Chilika wildlife divisions. However, how long these supplies can sustain remains a question as thousands of saplings planted in Puri division for the purpose sustained severe damage during cyclone Fani in 2019.
PCCF (wildlife) and managing director of OFDC Prem Kumar Jha said the corporation is aware of the increasing demand for firewood in Swargadwar. “Since we also supply wood for Srimandir, steps are being taken to plant other varieties, other than casuarina, to meet the future need,” Jha said. A senior forest official from Puri wildlife division said a proposal for a scientific method of burning where cremation could be done with less volume of wood is also being explored.
Legitimate demands
But that’s not where the problems end. As work increases, workers engaged in the cremation ground are stretched too. They have also started demanding a hike in wages and other facilities for their safety at the workplace. Around 45 staff work at Swargadwar round-the-clock in three shifts. The cleaning service staff also demand a separate changing and rest room for them, apart from a separate staff toilet. They say their current wage that ranges between Rs 12,000 and Rs 13,000 is inadequate compared to the toil they put in.
The Seva Samiti officials claim steps are being taken to improve sanitation and cleanliness service. The canteen lying defunct will also be reopened on the ground floor. Besides, there is a need for expansion of the cremation ground as it has limited space compared to the load. “The leased out land around Swargadwar could be utilised for the purpose as the number of cremations will only increase in the future,” said a staff.
As the night deepened at Swargadwar, families continued to wait with mortal remains beside them, counting down serial numbers and watching pyres rise and fall. For many, the final rites that promise a moment of closure now come after hours of waiting, stretching grief longer than expected. With the number of cremations only rising, Swargadwar is increasingly becoming a place not just of farewell, but of endurance.
Attempts to elicit a response from district collector Dibya Jyoti Parida, the chairman of Swargadwar Seva Samiti and sub-collector Raj Kishore Jena, the secretary, proved futile.