The great Bali cremation

[pic: Boston Globe : big picture blog]

NYTimes has a scoop on one of the most elaborate cremation rituals in the world. One of the royals in the small kingdom of Ubud in Bali, passed away recently, and was given a spectacular farewell. It seems that, two other royals, and about 60 commoners were also kept preserved for some time after they died, so that they can all be given a common cremation. In Balinese customs, it seems when you die, you can be temporarily buried or embalmed, but the soul leaves the body only when you cremate the person. And it seems if you get cremated with one of the royals, you have an assured prize of getting liberated. Wow.

Read the full NYTimes article here. [free registration required – but worth it!]

The big picture blog of the Boston Globe also has a spectacular set of pictures of the cremation. [link]

{ed: The NYTimes article is brilliantly written. A fine piece of writing indeed.}