Indian religions

We approached the burning Ghats and walked up some steps to a small tower that overlooked the incredible scenes of life and death below. There were currently two piers burning with another 3 being prepared. Raja explained the whole process to me.

“People, they are coming here to die,” he said staring at me intently. “From all over the country they come here. It is very important to them that they are placed in the sacred waters of the mother Ganges. This is so they are not reincarnated.”

I looked at him inquisitively, not sure if I head him correctly. “Not, to be reincarnated?”

“Yes,” he continued prudently, “If they be having a good life, it is better not to come back after such good times. And if they are being bad people, then surely they do not want to be coming back to life as something so bad as like a… rat.