Lying on the floor!

NOTE: Pure simple blog, NO ill manners attached!

Last week some one who we knew, he is an Indian man, he passed away. Nice man who I enjoyed Indian Tea time to time with him and his wife. He got heart attacked and die fast.

I went to the funeral. Actually this is my first time to the Indian funeral in my whole life.

The Burmese put the dead body in the coffin, the Christian put the dead body in the coffin and so does the Chinese I believe. OK to pay the respect to the dead is different ways. Some show the face of the dead body but some covered. I am sure you all know what I am talking about.

When I walked in this gentleman condo in Thailand I was surprised to see that they put him as a sleeping man on the floor. He was lying on the plain floor with a white pillow, a white sheet, and a white thin blanket covered up to his neck. Lots of flowers on his body though. Then a simple plastic bucket (was orange color), holding candle inside and put it on the head side of the body.

His son and some of his friends were sitting on the sofa which is located on the dead man head side.

Honestly and simply I say I did not expected what I am going to see. In a huge condo the dead body was right in the middle but on the floor. The rest everyone were seated on the chairs or sofa. I have no chance to ask anyone as the room was silent but Indian sad music was on. I was busy observed and these questions were going all over my head. I asked to myself,

Why he is on the floor and look not elegant? (Knowing this man was a rich man.)
Why they do not tie the chin up as his mouth getting wide opened?
Why so much flower on his body?
Why this orange bucket doing on the head direction?
Why all these women wearing only white color? ...... etc, etc, and etc.

Then on Saturday I saw my neighbour by the lift . She is an Indian woman who also going to pay the respect to this Indian man. I can't wait so I asked her, "Why Mr. B is on the floor?" She said, "Well this is what we believe?" That's it! I did not get the point. I wanted to know the meaning behind of it.

I google today and this is what I learned.

Immediately after the dead they, the Indian have to put the body on the floor with the head toward to the South which they believe "the direction of the dead!" and so that the dead person can walk to the right direction. For Indian the dead and the alive did not walks the same direction. Then I have question, how do they know the South is the right direction?? What happen if they point the dead man head to the East, West and North?? What these directions are call??

I was still curious that if the Indian man die in the war, drawn, or burn and the body can't not be retrieved how they make sure this person is walk to the right direction after dead.

I also read, Immediately after the cremation, the whole family is expected to take a bath.

I do understand we all have different believing and different traditional events. One might not be understand the other one's celebration. This world is full of colours.

No matther how we are different one thing we all have the same is ......, as we came to this world naked we gone out of this world naked!!!

So enjoy the moment and be good each other.