Family rejects electric cremation

KATHMANDU, Feb 10: Despite widespread rumors about cremating Nepali Congress (NC) leader Sushil Koirla at the recently launched electric crematorium, family members of Koirala have decided to conduct his funeral in "the Vedic tradition." According to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) Member Secreatry Govinda Tandon, they had already started the preparations for cremating Koirala at the electric crematorium, which he argued, could have set an example for the public to use the electric crematorium. According to Tandon, PADT was informed about Koirala's family members' decision not to cremate his body via electric crematorium at 5 pm on Tuesday.

Tandon said senior NC leader Mahesh Acharya conveyed the decision of Koirala family members to cremate his body on a pyre in the traditional way.


"We decided to follow the Vedic tradition and cremate the body following the traditional way," Ashok Koirala, the brother of deceased Koirala, told Republica.

The electric crematorium, which was constructed at a cost of Rs 110 million five years ago, formally came into operation from January 25 this year.

It can incinerate a dead body in about 55 minutes and costs Rs 3,000, while traditional firewood method takes up to five to six hours and its costs Rs 10,000.

Around 40 bodies are brought to the Pashupati Aryaghat for cremation on normal days and the crematorium can also incinerate up to 40 dead bodies in a day. The two electric crematoriums have cremated 244 bodies since its launch last month.

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