Rituals after death- Hinduism by Aryahi Agarwal

GRADUATION PROJECT VISUAL COMMUNICATION (BACHELOR OF DESIGN)

Vol. 1 of 1

Project Title:

Rituals After Death In Hinduism

Name:

Aryahi Agarwal (20180301050) Project Mentor:

Rajeev Kumar

2022

The Graduation Project Evaluation Jury recommends ARYAHI AGARWAL from Visual Communication for the Master’s/Bachelor’s Graduation Degree of Unitedworld Institute of Design, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar, India herewith, for the project titled Rituals after death in Hinduism. The project is complete in every aspect in accordance to the guidelines set by the institution.

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*Subsequent remarks regarding fulfilling the requirements

Student document publication, meant for private circulation only. All rights reserved. No part of this document will be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, xerography, photography and videography recording without written permission from the publisher, Aryahi Agarwal and Unitedworld Institute of Design. All Illustrations and photographs in this document are Copyright © 2022 by respective people and organizations. Written and designed by Aryahi Agarwal, under the guidance of Rajeev Kumar. Printed digitally in Name the Place March, 2022.

ORIGINALITY STATEMENT

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and it contains no full or substantial copy of previously published material, or it does not even contain substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma of any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgment is made in this degree project. Moreover I also declare that none of the concepts are borrowed or copied without due acknowledgment. I further declare that the intellectual content of this degree project is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. This degree project (or part of it) was not and will not be submitted as assessed work in any other academic course.

I hereby grant the Unitedworld Institute of Design the right to archive and to make available my degree project/thesis/dissertation in whole or in part in the Institutes’s Knowledge Management Centre in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act. I have neither used any substantial portions of copyright material in any document nor have I obtained permission to use copyright material. Student Name in Full: Date:

Student Name in Full: Signature: Date:

Gratitude “Knowledge is in the end based on aknowledgement” - - Ludwig Wittgenstein

I’d like to express my gratitude to the UnitedWorld Institute of Design for providing a solid foundation for exposure and continuous learning. The last four years have been eye opening, with many ups and downs that have shifted my perspective on design and even life. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to my parents and the rest of my family for their unwavering support and presence during this journey. I’d want to thank our H.O.D., Professor Lolita Dutta for always encouraging and inspiring me throughout my college journey. She is one of the most concrete reasons behind Visual Communication department being strong. I’d want to thank everyone of the faculty at UID, especially Mr. Sambit Pradhan for always being there for me and providing a helping hand in any way he could. I’d want to express my gratitude to my mentor, Mr. Rajeev Kumar, who has provided me with highly insightful feedbacks and pushed me to do my best throughout the project. His knowledge and views had always made me think and provided me with a fresh perspective on design. Thank you for always pointing me in the right direction and for always being there for me, especially when I was lost during this project. I’d also like to express my gratitude to Dakshaini Atluri, Pavani Atchula, Ayushi Kukadia, and everyone of my friends and family members who patiently provided their opinions during my research interviews. I would like to give a big thank you to Saran who helped me in photography and lighting of the scenes.

About UID Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID) was established as a constituent institution of the University of Karnavati University in 2012. The institute’s goal is to create strategic design linkages between innovation and entrepreneurship in diverse industries by also encouraging students to create bold and innovative designs that are driven by creativity. UID offers a diverse range of UG and PG courses in the area of art & design. These programs are designed with strong professional emphasis and in close partnership with the industry. Every course has been structured to deliver insights into the importance of individual and collective creativity, be it a theoretical assessment, design practice, curatorial evaluations or artistic considerations. The foundation of UID is based on interdisciplinary learning and teaching focused on schools under UID. The institute offers guidance and instruction in a unique approach, preparing students to appreciate design’s inherent ideals. UID provides an ideal environment for aspiring design students to showcase their creative abilities.

Hello! I am Aryahi

About me “Styles come and go. Good design is a language, not a style.” Massimo Vignelli, Designer It is a quote I hold dear as I don’t identify myself with any specific style or technique of design! Working according to the identity has always been my go-to. I am a chashmish girl, mostly remembered by my moles. My inspiration for any of my work has always been this glorious & colourful world around. I always try to take a very positive and practical approach in whatever I am doing which solves more than half of the problems design wise and life wise. Being an extrovert, I love to meet new people and listen to their stories, it’s something that makes me happy! Advertising, branding, packaging, and motion graphics are among my primary interests in Visual communication :)

Meet my mentor: Mr. Rajeev Kumar

About my mentor “Design is imperfect” Rajeev Kumar, Design professer Rajeev Kumar has been in design education profession since 12 years which includes 2 years of teaching in Pearl academy, Mumbai, 7 years of teaching in NIFT, Bombay and 3 years of teaching in UID, Ahmedabad. He completed his bachelors in ‘Fashion design’ and did his masters in ‘Visual Communication design’. He is a tech enthusiast and is fond of putting things in context which motivated him to explore UI/UX design too. Finding beauty in functionality has always been his primary objective. According to him beauty has to work otherwise it’s of no use.

Preserving the legacy of death rituals followed in India.

Timeline MARCH - Ideation - Visualization

FEBRUARY - Analysis - Design direction

JANUARY

APRIL

- Proposal finalization - Research

- Execution of final design

The progression of lines shows ups, downs and constant periods of my graduation project.

JUNE - Conclusion

MAY - Prototyping - Documentation

Introduction “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” —Maya Angelou

We take birth on soil, live on soil, walk on soil, die on soil and finally vanish in soil Why are we talking about soil here!? Well! Lets see how significantly soil has played the most important role in this project.

As the topic reads, “Rituals after death in Hinduism”, I figured the necessity to target the young audience and narrate the most common hindu death rituals along with the reasons and anecdotes followed behind. Soil plays a vital role in Hindu culture as it is believed that humans are made of and for the mother earth and earth is nothing but uncountable particles of soil. Humans take birth on soil and vanish in the same. Looking at the need and target demographic, a website is designed for the subject and as clay is nothing but a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth, it is used as the main element to mould and narrate the scenes of rituals followed after death. As it is not a very pleasant topic to talk about, I have tried to make it as interesting and decent to look at by designing the 3D spaces in miniature forms using clay and using them as still frames for my website.

Research

“Design creates culture. Culture shapes values. Values determine the future.” — Maya Angelou

CONTENT Primary research

Secondary research

• Mindmapping & brainstorming

Pg 22-23

• Hinduism

Pg 36 Pg 37

• Death rituals (What & Why)

Pg 24-25

• Focusing states in different parts of India

• Unique burial rituals across the world

Pg 26-32

• Major religions across the world & chosen religion to proceed with

Pg 34-35

Pg 38-45 • Rituals after death followed in different cultures of focused states

MINDMAPPING & BRAINSTORMING

The initial brainstorming involved all the words and thoughts related to the topic which helped me proceeding towards the main research.

Leading to

SELECTION OF AREA

MOTIVE The initial and foremost motive after taking the topic into hands was to find out a problem statement and come up with a solution that is sincere and doesn’t hurt any particular gender or community’s feelings. My focus throughout was, to project the project in the most cordial and appropriate manner possible.

SELECTION OF RELIGION

SELECTION OF CULTURE 23

DEATH RITUALS About death rituals : Death ritual begins when a person stops breathing or is otherwise identified as dead. Treatments of the body, disposal of the remains, and the behaviour of close kin and others for a specified period of mourning are spelt out by society.

Reasons for following the rituals : The funeral rituals are a public, traditional and symbolic means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone loved. Rich in history and rife with symbolism, the funeral ceremony helps us: • Acknowledge the reality of the death

What & Why?

• Gives testimony to the life of the deceased • Encourages the expression of grief in a way consistent with the culture’s values • Provides support to mourners • Allows for the embracing of faith and beliefs about life and death • Offers continuity and hope for the living

Create awareness 24

Increase respect

Restore harmony

Ritual disposal of the dead speaks clearly of an awareness of death , and thus an awareness of self! — Richard Leakey

UNIQUE BURIAL RITUALS ACROSS THE WORLD

SKY BURIAL, (TIBET)

Sky burial is common in Tibet among Buddhists who believe in the value of sending their loved ones’ souls toward heaven. In this ritual, bodies are left outside, often cut into pieces, for birds or other animals to devour.

PURPOSE : • Eliminating the now-empty vessel of the body and allowing the soul to depart. • Embracing the circle of life and giving sustenance to animals.

WATER BURIAL, (NORDIC COUNTRIES)

Nordic countries, have embraced water in their rituals of choice for the dead, from laying coffins atop cliffs faced toward the water to actually using the water as a burial ground. Some set bodies adrift in “death ships” either along a river or sent out into the ocean.

PURPOSE : • Giving the bodies back to the gods or places most valued by the people of the area.

FAMADIHANA, (MADAGASCAR)

“Dancing with the dead” best describes the burial tradition in Madagascar. The Malagasy people open the tombs of their dead every few years and rewrap them in fresh burial clothes. Each time the dead get fresh wrappings, they also get a fresh dance near the tomb while music plays all around. This ritual is translated as the “turning of the bones”.

PURPOSE : • This ritual translated as “turning of the bones” is meant to speed up decomposition and push the spirit of the dead toward the afterlife.

THE PARADE, (VARANASI)

A tradition from Varanasi, India, involves parading the dead through the streets, the bodies dressed in colors that highlight the virtues of the deceased (red for purity or yellow for knowledge, for example).The bodies are sprinkled with water from the Ganges River and then cremated at the town’s main cremation grounds.

PURPOSE : • Encourage souls to reach salvation. • Ending the cycle of reincarnation.

TOWER OF SILENCE (IRAN)

In Zoroastrian belief, death is considered evil so a dead body is believed to defile everything it touches, including the ground and fire. So, bodies are exposed to the elements and left to be eaten by scavenger birds.

PURPOSE : • The corpse is then placed atop a Tower of Silence, out of the way of the living who could be contaminated by it.

ASHES TO DEATH BEADS (SOUTH KOREA)

South Koreans have taken it a step further by turning the ashes of the deceased into beads. These beads have a bit of a shine to them and come in an array of colors, from pink or black to turquoise. Placed inside glass vases or even open in dishes, the beads can then take centre stage inside a home, a more decorative choice than a conventional urn.

PURPOSE : • Getting something beautiful out of the process gives loved ones a new tradition to embrace and an heirloom to treasure.

IKWA OZU, (NIGERIA)

PURPOSE : • The ceremonies Igbo perform ensure a safe passage to the spirit world. Without the rites of passage of the ikwa ozu thus, the dead will not be able to fully join their ancestors.

Ikwa ozu means ‘celebrating the dead’ and is also referred to as the second burial. This ceremony may take place anytime from weeks to a year after the first burial. The body of the deceased is often scrubbed with camwood dye and placed on plantain leaves. After that, the oldest daughter of the deceased, called ada, takes part in the ino uno akwa rite. During that, she has to consume the favourite meals of the departed for a whole day. Additionally, this needs to take place in silence. By consuming the meals in silence, she ensures that her father has constant access to nutrition in the afterlife. The family usually spends months saving money for the even more expensive ceremony of ikwa ozu, or second burial.

MUMMIFICATION (EGYPT)

For mummification, seated corpses are being smoked over roaring flames for three months to prevent decomposition. When it bloats, the body is poked with sticks to drain the fluids. Throughout, no part of the body including the fluids and internal organs is allowed to touch the ground. Once the mummification is complete, the deceased is strapped to a chair and carried to a cliff-top perch.

PURPOSE : • By mummifying their remains, the departed can be more easily remembered than if they were buried underground.

FANTASY COFFINS (GHANA)

In Ga culture, the dead are believed to be much more powerful than the living, so families do all that they can to ensure the deceased will be sympathetic toward them rather than vengeful. Families commission

manufacturers to create elaborate coffins in any number of shapes and sizes, from sneakers to boats to Coca-Cola bottles.

PURPOSE : • It is believed that the dead are said to continue their living profession in the afterlife and must be buried in something that represents their job.

HANGING COFFINS (FILIPINO) The Igorot people practice an ancient funerary custom in which the elderly carve their own coffins, which are then tied or nailed to the side of a cliff when they die. Before being placed in the coffin, the corpse is seated on a “death chair,” bound with leaves and vines, then covered with a blanket. The body is smoked to prevent decomposition, allowing relatives to pay their respects over several days.

PURPOSE : • It is believed that this tradition lessen the distance between the deceased and their ancestral spirits. • The mourners allow fluids from the rotting body to drip over them in the belief that it will bring good luck.

Religion is one dimension of culture, a transcendent element of it. — Francis Arinze

Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism Sikhism

MAJOR RELIGIONS ACROSS THE WORLD

Judaism Baha’i Shinto Zoroastrianism Jainism 34

CHOSEN RELIGION TO PROCEED WITH

Hinduism The major reason for choosing Hinduism out of the end number of religions was that being a Hindu myself, I had more access and pre-acquired knowledge about my own faith. Stuck with the timeline, the sharp decision was to not choose something completely new to my knowledge which will require more time for research than executing my final design.

HINDUISM About the religion : With nearly a billion followers worldwide, ‘Hinduism’ is the third largest religion in the world. It teaches that God is within each being and object, and the purpose of life is to become aware of this divine essence. The Hindu faith originated in India, but today there are many denominations worldwide, each with slightly different customs and beliefs.

Hindu beliefs about death : The Hindu faith is centered around reincarnation; the belief that when someone dies, the soul is reborn in a different form. They believe that although the physical body dies, their soul remains and continues to recycle until it settles upon its true nature. Additionally, according to the belief, their soul’s next incarnation will depend on the actions throughout their previous life, this is also known as “Karma”. In Hinduism, we know we have been born and died before, and karma and reincarnation make the inevitable seem natural. One saint consoled,

“Death is like falling asleep, and birth is like waking from that sleep.”

India and cultures : Hinduism is supremely followed in India. There are 29 states and 8 union territories across India and each of it follows different cultures in Hinduism. Every state has its unique ways and beliefs of following death rituals which makes India more diverse and unique.

FOCUSING STATES IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF INDIA

Jammu & Kashmir

Punjab Haryana

Assam

West Bengal

Gujarat Orissa Maharashtra

WEST Andra Pradesh

SOUTH EAST NORTH

Tamil Nadu

RITUALS AFTER DEATH FOLLOWED IN DIFFERENT CULTURES OF FOCUSED STATES RITUALS FOLLOWED IN RAJASTHAN: There are 3 main funeral ceremonies followed by every culture in Hinduism:

• Antyesthi

• Tiya

• Mausar

1st Day : Antyesthi (Cremation) • SUTAK- Restriction to certain activities till the time of mourning (mostly 12 days) : - Worship or puja - Auspicious work - Spicy and fried food or vegetables with tadka in them. - Attending public functions or ceremonies, and exchanging gifts. • Reading holy books everyday till 11th day • Matka is kept under the Peepal tree • Cow dung cakes is burnt outside the house • Reading holy books everyday till 11th day • Matka is kept under the Peepal tree.

• Cow dung cake is burnt outside the house

3rd Day :

• Shaving the head of the son or the person lighting the pyre.

Tiya (Collection of ashes)

• Chewing neem leaves • Puting water 3 times outside the house • Favourite food of the deceased till 11 days • Wiping rotis off the shoulders to take off the weight of the deceased If the deceased was quite old (above 70 yrs) • ‘Gulal’ or ‘abir’ is thrown on the deceased person. • The deceased and wooden logs carrying the deceased are adorned with flowers while processing for the funeral which is known as “Viman”. When the rich person dies (followed earlier) When a rich person dies, coins are scattered all the way from the house to the cremation ground. Beggars and the poor pick up the coins. This is called Bakher. It is mainly a Rajasthani custom.

• Favourite dessert- In the morning, Halva or any sweet liked by the deceased is made. • Tiye ki baithak- In the evening, people gather at the house of the deceased also known as “Shok Sabha” to express their grief for the deceased.

4th -10th Day :

12th Day :

• Niravapanjali (immersion of ashes)

Mausar (Feeding the brahmins)

• Tarpana (sacred offering to Gods for entrance to heaven) • Satnahana or Naunahana (remaining male members shave their heads)

11th Day : • The ‘Narayana Bali’ path is recited to liberate the soul. • Rasam pagdi (appointment of successor) • Pind daan (lead the departed soul to the path of salvation)

• Grand feast where hundreads of people are invited in honour of the dead. • Havan is performed in the morning • 13 male brahmins are fed if a male has departed. • 12 male brahmins along with 1 female brahmin is fed if a female has departed. • Brahmins are given a list of new things in honor of the deceased as it is beleaved that the departed soul is going on a journey.

RITUALS FOLLOWED IN GUJARAT: There are 3 main funeral ceremonies followed by every culture in Hinduism:

• Antyesthi

• Tiya

• Mausar of the deceased and consumed by everyone in the family. • On the death of a female member, the person elder to her places 1 rupee coin on the vagina of the deceased. • If a married woman dies, the husband is not suggested to attend the funeral procession as he won’t be able to go for remarriage. • Akhand diya for 7 days where the deceased was lying.

• Area where the deceased will be lying on the floor is covered with cow dung.

• Ladies are allowed till the gate or char rasta when the procession takes place.

• No cremation will be done after 5:00pm.

• Ladies chanting “Ram Ram” till the male members return back from the funeral.

• If the deceased is female, the body is kept at home for a day compulsorily. • The head of the deceased should be placed in the Southern direction and foot in the North. • Chandan is applied all over the forehead of the deceased. Ganga Jal is put in the mouth

• Not lighting the chulha till the time of the funeral. • Anointing the body with ghee before lighting the pyre.

attending the funeral. • After returning home from the funeral, all the clothes are supposed to be put in a bucket of water. • All the members present at the cremation ground are not suggested to drink milk that whole day in any form. • Sadri/Besna is performed on any day except on Sunday and Tuesday.

3rd Day : Tiya (Collection of ashes) • Favourite dessert- In the morning, Halva or any sweet liked by the deceased is made. • Tiye ki baithak- In the evening, people gather at the house of the deceased also known as “Shok Sabha” to express their grief for the deceased.

• At the cremation ground, the elders of the family offer tea or coffee to all the members present there to express gratitude for

4th -10th Day :

RITUALS FOLLOWED IN ANDRA:

• Niravapanjali (immersion of ashes)

There are 3 main funeral ceremonies followed by every culture in Hinduism:

• Tarpana (sacred offering to Gods for entrance to heaven)

• Antyesthi

12th Day : • Grand feast where hundreads of people are invited in honour of the dead. • On ‘Barhavi’ related members are not allowed to comb their hair after puja. • Shaia - On the 12th day, a ‘char pai’ is set, upon which all the essential things required by a human in day to day life are kept. The essentials are supposed to be brand new as it is believed that “the deceased is going on a journey to heaven”. • Pind daan (offering balls of rice and flour to the deceased). • Shaving the head of the eldest male member. • Barsi • After five years of death, a grand puja is performed at any holy place or ghat which completes all the rituals to be performed for the departed soul and from that year.

• Tiya

• Mausar

1st Day :

with new ‘Pancha’ (lungi) and ‘botto’ (tilak) with kumkum is put on the head.

Antyesthi (Cremation)

• For females, after the bath, a saree brought by her family members is made worn by her and ‘botto’ (tilak) is put with kumkum along with haldi on the head.

• SUTAK- Restriction to certain activities till the time of mourning (mostly 12 days) : - Worship or puja - Auspicious work - Spicy and fried food or vegetables with tadka in them. - Attending public functions or ceremonies, and exchanging gifts. • No cremation will be done after 5pm. • The body of the deceased will be placed in the ‘verandah’ on a mattress in such a way that the head will be positioned towards the ‘North’.

• Pots of water are kept near the body. • Tulsi leaves and raw rice is kept in the mouth of the deceased. • Bed for the deceased is made using bamboo sticks and tied with jute ropes. • Taking 3 rounds by holding coconut in hands and breaking the coconut then and there. • All the rituals are performed using left hands.

• A diya will be lit on the bundle of rice near the head of the deceased.

• Sambrani is put on the deceased.

• The deceased will be given a bath after making him/her sit on a chair.

in wet lungi. • On the way to crematorium, son has to walk in front holding a pot filled with

• For men, after the bath, body is covered

• All the rituals will be performed by the son

sambrani from with the smoke comes out.

entrance to heaven.)

• Lighting the pyre by the eldest son. • Not lighting the chulha for 1 day • For 11 days, some favourite food of the deceased is prepared and kept in front of his/her photo to keep the soul happy and content. • Purifying the mourners after returning from crematorium by puring water on their heads. • Clothes are compulsorily washed by a washerman after the cremation.

3rd Day : Tiya (Collection of ashes) • Putting ashes into a locker • Dividing the astis into 3 parts for immersion into 3 sacred water bodies. • Chinnakarma (expressing gratitude for preparation)

4th -10th Day : • Niravapanjali (immersion of ashes) • Tarpana (sacred offering to Gods for

from family, a sense of detachment from physical needs and enlightenment.

11th Day : Mausar (Feeding the brahmins) • Grand feast where hundreads of people are invited in honour of the dead. • Shaving the head of all the related male members • Feeding 11 or 21 brahmins depending on the financial condition. • Pind daan (offering balls of rice to the deceased) Burying instead of cremation in Telugu culture : According to Hindu custom, the deceased is cremated as it is believed that souls, after living in the body for such a long time, get attached to the body and refuse to leave. Thus, if the body is not cremated and buried, the soul will linger in the vicinity and not depart. On the other hand, holy men and saints are buried (usually in a lotus position) as it is believed that they have attained through spiritual training, discipline and being away

RITUALS FOLLOWED IN WEST BENGAL: There are 3 main funeral ceremonies followed by every culture in Hinduism:

• Antyesthi

• Tiya

1st Day : Antyesthi (Cremation) • SUTAK- Restriction to certain activities till the time of mourning (mostly 12 days) : - Worship or puja - Auspicious work - Spicy and fried food or vegetables with tadka in them. - Attending public functions or ceremonies, and exchanging gifts. • Foot impression of the deceased • The eldest son gives the ritual bath and covers the body with new unstiched cloth. • The head is laid towards the south, garlanded and anointed with sandal paste. • ‘Pindo daan’ is performed by the son for which cooked rice and fish are mashed together to form some balls. The balls are offered to all the departed ancestors that the family can recall.

• Mausar • Lighting the funeral pyre after first placing a burning stick in the mouth of the deceased. This is called “Daho Sanskar”.

4th -10th Day :

• No cooking is done in the house for 3 days. Very simple, less spicy and strictly vegetarian food is consumed during these days.

• Asthi Bisorjan- The remains are collected and kept in a matki. These are brought home and purified with milk, curd, etc. and made into a ball. This ball is then immersed in the water in a matki.

• Mens wear unstitched clothing (dhoti and chaddar) throughout the mourning period

11th Day :

• Shaving beards and oiling the hair is not allowed during mourning days.

• Not celebrating festivals for 1 year (Shradh)- A shradh is performed on the 11th day. It is performed every month till the 14th month of death. One year from the time of death, “Dahoashoucho” is observed, so close relatives of the deceased do not celebrate any occasion or festival till that time.

12th Day : • Shaving heads- Sons of the deceased shave their heads on the day prior to shraddha.

13th Day : Mausar (Feeding the brahmins) • Shraddha- On the thirteenth day after death, a ceremony called Shraddha is performed, when relatives are invited to a feast in the name of the deceased. During the period, relatives of the deceased only take vegetables, protein-less food, and sunned rice without salt.

Analysis “Design is the intermediary between information and understanding.” — Hans Hoffman

CONTENT • User personna

Pg 48

• Problem statement & Target demographic

Pg 49

USER PERSONA

PROBLEM STATEMENTS: TARGET • Now a days, youth is not aware about the reasons and beliefs to follow death rituals. DEMOGRAPHIC: • Generalization of Hindu death rituals for every culture in India. Young adults-adults • Rituals are getting dissolved with the passage of generation due to fast paced life and awareness. (18-35 y/o) • Grieving is not filled with the authentic information and taken advantage of the sensitive situation to gain profit.

Ideation “Design is intelligence made visible.” — Alina Wheeler

CONTENT • Design directions

Pg 52-53

• Deliverable options

Pg 54

• FInalized deliverable

Clay modelling

Website designing Pg 62

Pg 55

• Anatomy of clay modelling

• Execution process

Pg 56-57

• Initial trials

Pg 63

• Scripting

Pg 58-59

Pg 64-67

•Story boarding & Character designing

Pg 60-61

• Final clay models for the scenes

• Navigation flow

Pg 69

• Wire frames

Pg 70-71

DESIGN DIRECTIONS

MOTIVE & TARGET AUDIENCE • Not generalizing the Hindu death rituals for every culture in India. • To fill the grieving individual with right information about the materials required for death rituals.

Young adults -adults (20-35 y/o)

Showcasing step by step death rituals followed in different cultures in India.

MOTIVE & TARGET AUDIENCE • Preserve the legacy of death rituals followed in India.

Young adults -adults (18-35 y/o)

Explaining the most common and unexplained death rituals followed amongst most states in India.

DELIVERABLE OPTIONS

Interactive website according to different cultures in Hinduism • Step by step guide about rituals followed in different culture in Hinduism along with thematerials required for the rituals. • Showcasing only unique rituals followed in different cultures. • Presenting the rituals in the form of stories and proper narration.

2 3 54

Claymation Using clay animation to narrate the stories behind common rituals followed after death in Hinduism.

Animation Making series of short animations to show unique rituals followed in different cultures in Hinduism along with the beliefs and reasons behind it.

FINALIZED DELIVERABLE

Informative / Storytelling website including scenes molded with clay. WAY OF APPROACHING: Finding the anecdotes and stories/beliefs behind the most common and unexplained rituals followed after death in Hinduism and explaining them through scenes molded with clay. TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC: Curious and grieving people [Young adults-adults (18-35 y/o)]

EXECUTION PROCESS Finding out questions regarding death rituals in young minds

Dividing the scenes according to the questions

Moulding the scenes using clay according to the storyboarding

Photography and post production

Building the website

SCRIPTING

Separating the questions according to the major days of death rituals in Hinduism.

STORY BOARDING & CHARACTER DESIGNING In Hinduism, important days after death are divided into scenes: DAY: 1 2

DAY: 3-10

DAY: 13

DURING 13 DAYS

CLAY MODELLING Anatomy of clay modelling :

STEP- 1

STEP- 2

STEP- 3

Beginnig with base using thin wires, known as ‘Armature’.

Covering the armature with M-seal leaving joints for movement in the body.

Giving the armature some flesh using form.

Initial trials : SCENE- 5 (Mundan of the son) Error detected: • Scene is not fully recognizable visually. • Lighting is very less dramatic and does not potray grieving emotions according to the topic.

Solution: • Adding more props and environment to the scene. • Playing with the positioning of the clay models. • Experimenting with camera angles.

Final clay models for the scenes :

“ The Deceased ” (Married women)

“ The Husband ”

“ The Mother ” 65

“ The Son ” 66

“ The Grandfather ”

“ The Brahmin Pandit 1 ”

“ The Brahmin Pandit 2 ”

Great web design without functionality is like a sports car with no engine — Paul Cookson

WEBSITE DESIGNING Navigation flow :

About the website: • It will be a no click website with only scroll triggers throughout. •The website will be single paged with no subpages or links.

Reason for building a website: • In todays era, websites and apps are the most convenient and fastest way of getting any information, especially for youth. As my aim is to ‘preserve the legacy’ and my target audience being curious youth, website was the most trusted and approachable source to fill in the grieving with all the answers and necessary information to promote rituals followed after death in Hinduism.

Wireframes :

Final shoot “When people talk about innovation in this decade, they really mean design.” — Bruce Nussbaum

CONTENT • Final shoot

Pg 75-87

SCENE: 1 - 13

Prototypes Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration — Jeffrey Zeldman

CONTENT • Final views

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“Ritual is the passage way of the soul into the infinite”. — Algernon Blackwood

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VIEW 16 (after transition)

“The preperation for the ritual is the ritual”. — Kate Green

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“Rituals are the formulas by which harmony is restored”. — Terry Tempest Williams

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Conclusion

So here, this journey comes to an end!

This thesis project was not just a usual assignment or a task for me, but a beautiful journey that I’ll always cherish. During this journey, I have observed a lot of changes in my perspective towards things and the way I look at them. Before choosing this beautiful as well as utmost deep topic, the thought of working with clay and photography used to be very overwhelming! It took me a long time to distill all of my thoughts into something that might work. I am grateful to my mentor, Mr. Rajeev Kumar and all the other faculty which I consider my co-mentor for his patience with me, for constantly motivating me to achieve better, and for all of his assistance. Without the help of my friends and family, this project would not have been feasible. I’d want to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed ideas or assisted me in any way during this project. I am truly grateful to each and everyone of you.

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Bibliography 130

DEATH RITUALS • https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-happens-to-my-body-right-after-i-die-1132498 • https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisdom/article/stages-of-death-rituals • https://www.newscientist.com/article/2152283-five-death-rituals-to-give-you-a-new-viewon-funerals/ • https://www.britannica.com/list/7-unique-burial-rituals-across-the-world • https://matadornetwork.com/read/death-rituals-around-world/

DEATH RITUALS IN CHRISTIANS • Death rituals in Christianity • Mourning etiquettes and rules (Christianity) • https://www.econdolence.com/learning-center/religion-and-culture/catholicism/catholicism-periods-of-mourning/

DEATH RITUALS IN ISLAM • https://www.memorialplanning.com/resources/religious-funerals-guide/islamic-funeral-guide • https://cremationinstitute.com/muslim-funeral-traditions/ • https://www.bunkerfuneral.com/blog/honoring-islamic-funeral-and-burial-traditions/ • https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/386943/iddah-giving-muslim-women-time-togrieve-and-reflect#:~:text=The%20widow%20is%20required%20to,purpose%20of%20 iddah%20in%20Islam%3F • https://emilypost.com/advice/religious-customs-at-funerals

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DEATH RITUALS IN HINDUISM • https://www.funeralpartners.co.uk/help-advice/arranging-a-funeral/types-of-funerals/hindu-funeral-rites-and-death-rituals/ • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian rituals_after_death • https://www.myfarewelling.com/article/hindu-funeral#:~:text=Lamp%3A%20Some%20 traditional%20 practices%20in valve,is%20a%20symbol%20of%20cleansing. • https://www.landesa.org/rituals-of-marriage-create-untold-suffering-for-millions-of-widows-in-india/ • https://www.reuters.com/article/india-widows-factbox-idINKCN0Z706V • Why women can’t go to Shamshan ghat? • https://www.myfarewelling.com/article/unique-death-rituals • About funeral pyre • https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat55/sub388/entry-5652.html • Why is fire considered pure? • About Sutak and Patak • Meaning of colors in Hinduism • https://swaraglok.com/what-is-teravih-ceremony-what-should-be-done-during-this-ceremony • Cremation before sunset | Reason of carrying pot by the son

CULTURE OF RAJASTHAN Death - customs and traditions of Rajasthan. Significance of 13th day (Tehrvi) https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-significance-of-the-tenth-day-ritual-after-death-in-Hinduism About Sutak

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CULTURE OF WEST BENGAL • https://www.hindu-blog.com/2021/07/hindu-death-rituals-in-bengal.html • http://pujarituals.blogspot.com/ • https://www.goya.in/blog/food-last-rites-the-indian-culinary-canon-of-grieving • Reason for burying in Hindus

CULTURE OF KASHMIR • https://searchkashmir.org/2013/08/rituals-in-death.html

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