Mourir | Tous Frères

Dying. A verb that frightens, unsettles, and raises questions. But in Hinduism, dying does not mean disappearing: it is crossing a threshold, beginning a passage, continuing a cycle. Tous Frères presents a program exploring Hindu funeral rites in the French Overseas Territories, focusing on the verb "to die." To begin the program, Luciano tells us the story of King Harishchandra, an exemplary figure of truth and humility, forced to work in a crematorium and confronted with the death of his own son. A foundational story that illuminates the Hindu vision of hardship, duty, and the passage to the afterlife. In Réunion, we follow Tiroumal Samourgompoullé, a Hindu officiant and pusari, in Rivière des Galets, during the final funeral ritual dedicated to his aunt. Since the death of his father, Eusèbe Samourgompoullé, in 2011, whom he himself accompanied in the funeral rites, Tiroumal has perpetuated a family tradition: guiding the living and accompanying the deceased through a year of ceremonies. From the vigil of the first two days to the Kalmadi on the sixteenth day, marked in particular by the symbolic shaving of the son, to the samblani celebrated a year after the death, he leads us into a spirituality where purifying the soul, honoring ancestors, and preparing for rebirth are acts of faith and family solidarity. Living live from Réunion Island, Nadessen Apavou, a professor of Indian philosophy, will explain the Hindu vision of the afterlife, including karma, reincarnation, and the liberation of the soul. We will also explore Hindu funeral practices, the importance of karma, cremation, and post-mortem rites to guide the soul of the deceased toward its next reincarnation or toward spiritual liberation (moksha). The portrait in Tous Frères is dedicated to Danylo Taïlamé, also a pusari (priest), but also a marigold producer in La Ravine-des-Cafres, Le Tampon, Réunion. He is the son and grandson of farmers, heir to a lineage deeply involved in temple life. Marigolds, essential for ceremonies and funeral decorations, are more than just a crop: they symbolize the link between the living and the dead. By offering a box of flowers to bereaved families when he officiates, Danylo embodies a tangible act of solidarity, where the agricultural practice becomes a spiritual one. In Hinduism, dying is leaving one home to join another. It is a time for prayer, remembrance, and hope. This week's column is dedicated to funeral rituals in the Catholic religion.