A formal Hindu cremation in which a dead body is burned for more than six hours in a one-metre high open-air pyre can consume 400 to 650 kg of wood in order to reduce the body to ashes. That much wood costs somewhere between 1,500 and 5,000 rupees. In the Brahma Kumaris' case, costs will be higher because they use a (
near literal) ton of the most expensive wood, sandalwood. Sandalwood costs around 1,000 rupees per kilo, on top of which there is the saffron and clarified butter (ghee) which makes them burn quicker. My guess is that, with all the fat and oil in them, the Dadi's go up fairly quick on their own.
Bear in mind that 85% of the Indian population lives under 100 Rupees per day. 44% lives under 50 Rupees per day. 25% of the population does not have enough money to eat adequately. A funeral can cost a years wages for them and you pay the priest for the fire. The more rich you are, the more you pay for the fire and ceremony ... so the BKs are saving a bomb on that by using their DIY approach.
Add to the carbon footprint created the transportation costs of all the Bhagat BKs and middle class dignitaries, the expenses of laying on food and accommodation ... its all just business; a product ... some investment ... a profitable financial return and some schmoozing with bigwigs in the process. There is no yogic mean or reason to any of it. If they wanted to be revolutionary, they would build some solar cremator. For sure they are going to be using it plenty in the next few years.
Apart from the theatre of it all ... it does not make sense and it is about time the BKs woke up to the modern world. The whole primitive drama is about the flames leaping up to heaven setting the soul free through the mouth with a whole load of Bhakti about corpses trying to get up to talk or souls dancing in the flames.
Indian sandalwood is now listed as an endangered species but is the subject of billion dollar, international investment schemes. Its value is between $500,000 to $1 million a hectare. Its all about business and, as you might expect, the Indian wood trade said to be rife with corruption, illegal logging and environmental exploitation.
yogi108 wrote:since the art of writing about someone leaving body needs to be crisp ... all of these folks make it as decorative as possible using things like "going directly into BapDada's lap" etc ... I seriously don't know if all that is necessary!!!
Naturally, I picked up on this. The joke is that it is all entirely contrary to The Knowledge as well as reality. Ditto "
Dadi was just merged in having alokik experiences in the Subtle Region" ... what does that mean? In plain English, she was unconscious and in a coma.
What makes me laugh is how, after all the sobbing and hand ringing, they sober up at the end and make it clear, "come and give us your money but, remember,
second class Indians will only get to sleep over at the bottom of the hill ... forget thinking that you will get to stay in Madhuban. " And then,
a) the order for all BK followers to perform some occult ritual on thursday 27th November 2008 for the sakes of someone they never knew and have no connection with (except for like mr greens) and
b) the perfunctory 'media festival' complete with bored and bemused local IPs on 29th November presenting a load of faked up histories and memorials to glorify her and them (tribute programme).
Even the Indian media has to tire of their self-serving efforts at promoting their own sainthood and the Hindu IPs see through it all eventually realised they are being used. The bottomline ... it just ain't yogi enough.
I'd love to see the books to know how much extra capital, by way of special donations, a dead Dadi bring in ... and tell me, honestly, they do not factor that in?