Hindu funeral

Lots of chanting and singing in languages I don't understand.
Many walks past the open coffin to say goodbye to her.
That's not her lying there, it does not look one bit like her.
A sense of community and family... two evenings in a row, I came to join these rituals.

Tonight, everyone who walked past the coffin got a handful of flower petals and dried herbs, which we let fall around her face. Her husband's face and head was shaved, aside from one small strip of hair on the back of the head. He was dressed all in white. The children were perfectly turned out: the boy in a suit, the girl in a pretty dress and her long hair in two thick braids. Seven years old.
So many people there with long black hair covered with beautiful delicate white lace. So tiny and delicate amongst the very tall Dutch.

Her brothers sang and chanted prayers for almost an hour without stopping as the endless line walked by the coffin. Then, hands together, bow towards the husband standing behind the coffin with fidgety kids, bored of standing still for so long.

Lil was cremated tonight.
We all said our goodbyes.
It was sad and quite beautiful.