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Death

Guru Nanak explained to his disciples that death is a normal part of a life cycle. We have come to this world with date, time and palace of death already written. Why then should we worry about death? A quote from Guru Granth say" death, from which this world is afraid, brings joy to me. Because by dying, I can merge with God."

Life after Death

Sikhs believe in the transmigration of the soul. There are 84,00,000 species in the world. 42,00,000 lives on land and 42,00,000 live in water and soul can travel trough any one of them. Human form is the final form. He/she has the ability to think and can achieve union with God through his/her actions. One can come out of the cycle of birth and death, if they live their life in accordance with God's instructions. Although there is no fixed religious instructions but the Sikhs prefer to cremate their dead.

Funeral

When a Sikh dies a hymn called " Kirtan Sohila" is recited. In UK, body is then taken away by the Funeral directors. Family will arrange recitation of Guru Granth Sahib at home or Gurdwara. A date for the funeral is fix. Mean while relatives and friends visits the family to convey their sympathy and say prayers for the departed soul. On the day of the funeral the body is washed and clothed, brought home so that all the family can see their loved one for the last time. During this visit the hymns are song. Because there isn't enough room in houses the body is then taken to the Gurdwara. Here friends and the members of the congregation can pay their respect by joining in with the recitation of hymns. After the prayer the body is then taken to crematorium where the hymn "Kirtan Sohila" is chanted and last prayers are said. After cremation people will come back listen to Bhog (complition of the rectation from Guru Granth Sahib) and join in the final prayer. Some eat langar, which is offered by the family.

In India the cremation will take straight away. The recitation of Guru Granth Sahib starts after the cremation. The date of the Bhog could be either nine or eleven days later.