Why One Shouldn’t Look Back At The Crematorium Ground After Last Rites

A total of 16 rituals have been mentioned in Sanatan Dharma, out of which the 16th is related to the post-death ceremony. There are many rules of these rituals, which everyone should follow. People who visit the cremation for the final rites of someone known often do such things out of ignorance or a lack of information, which they should never do. One of these things is to avoid looking back at the crematorium after the cremation has been done. But what’s the reason? Why shouldn’t one look back at the crematorium ground after the last rites? Jyotish Acharya Pandit Yogesh Choure from Bhopal has got the answer.

According to Garuda Purana, when a person dies, their soul departs the body. After the last rites are performed, the body is turned to ashes, but the soul lives on. Lord Krishna stated in the Bhagavad Gita that the soul is everlasting and indestructible. No sword, fire or water can destroy the soul.

It is said that, after the crematorium, the soul of the person goes to another world, but when a family member of the deceased looks back at the funeral after the cremation, the attachment of the soul to the family prevents it from passing to another realm.

As mentioned in the Garuda Purana, after death the soul of the deceased person watches the activities of his last right. Since the family members of the deceased are present at the crematorium, if a person looks back at the funeral the spirit of the deceased gets attached to that person and such bond cannot be broken.

It is said that one should not turn around after the final rites are performed because in such a case, the spirit finds it difficult to transition to the afterlife.

Many rituals are performed for 13 days to give peace to the deceased’s soul.

Apart from this, other rules that must be followed after returning from a funeral are:

1. Immediately take a bath and the clothes of the person should be washed.

   Gangajal should be sprinkled in the entire house to remove the negative energies.

   In the house, where the person has died a lamp should be lit for 12 days for the peace of the deceased soul.

   Pinddaan should be done in Pitru Paksha.