A man’s last journey has taken an emotional turn after his three daughters stayed away from his final rites, leaving an old-age home management to arrange his cremation and subsequent rituals. After being unable to attend their father’s funeral, the daughters, based in Nepal, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai, were also unable to perform the ritual of immersing his ashes, according to a report by India Today.
Shivcharan Ram Ratan Gupta, who was living at an old-age home in Sonipat, Haryana, died on August 4 after his health deteriorated. His daughters were informed about his condition before his death but could not visit him, according to old-age home administrator Anand Kumar.
Mahendra Gupta, the elder brother of textile trader Shivcharan Ram Ratan Gupta, travelled to Haridwar on Wednesday to perform his brother’s last rites after learning about his death through a news report. Mahendra, who had been out of contact with Shivcharan and his family for nearly a decade, immersed his brother’s ashes in the Ganga.
Mahendra said he was the eldest of seven siblings and had not been in touch with Shivcharan or his family for around 10 years. He recalled that when an earthquake struck Nepal, he had assumed his brother might have died in the disaster and had since believed him to be dead.
He said he was shocked to learn through a news report that Shivcharan had died only recently. After confirming the details, Mahendra travelled to Haridwar and carried out the ash immersion ritual. Members of social organisations and the old-age home management were also present.
Mahendra said he understood that his nieces may have had their own circumstances that prevented them from travelling for the final rites.
Old-age home management on Shivcharan’s daughters inability to attend final rites
After his death, the management contacted the daughters again and asked whether they could travel to Sonipat for the final rites. The daughters reportedly said they did not have time to make the journey. They later joined the cremation through a video call and watched the rituals remotely.
One of the daughters, Anita, who lives in Nepal and works as a teacher, sent Rs 5,100 online and asked the management to ensure that her father’s last rites were performed properly.
After the cremation, the daughters also asked the old-age home to share videos of the funeral proceedings. During one of the calls, one daughter was heard asking how much longer the proceedings would take, saying they had to eat and bathe.