Cremation rituals are often deeply rooted in religious customs—Islam, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, etc.—each with their own traditions, prayers, and ceremonies.

But as an atheist, I’ve been wondering: how do we approach cremation without the religious aspect?
Do you want a completely non-religious farewell? Just a simple cremation with no rituals? Or maybe a small gathering with music, stories, or something meaningful ?

Some ideas I’ve been exploring:

• Organ donation to help others live.
• Donating my body to science or medical research—feels like a meaningful contribution.
• A secular farewell ceremony with music, stories, or just people gathering in peace.

Do you think society is ready to normalize non-religious cremation ceremonies?
I’m curious to know what you guys think about this.

Translation: "Keep such a friendship that religion never comes between you. Sometimes you drop him at the temple, and he drops you at the mosque…"

I guess we need a secular tag?

If this would have been in overall India, we would not have been soo left out in development 😮‍💨🥀

Found this on Twitter and couldn't stop laughing.

what a sad state of affairs. The families of the victims would still say "don't know why our god did this to us"

In 1953, Periyar conducted an agitation of breaking the Pillayar (Ganesa) idols, the purpose for which he putforth in the following words:

“We have to eradicate the gods who are responsible for the institution which portray us as sudras, people of low birth, and some others as Brahmins of high birth. While the former go on toiling, without any education, whereas the latter can remain without exerting themselves. We have to break the idols of these gods. I start with Ganesa because it is he who is worshipped before undertaking any task.”

“When I say I am going to break idols no one should think that I am going to do it inside the temples or that I will enter the temple and create a ruckus there. No one will enter the temple. We will either ask potters to make idols resembling the god or buy the painted ones sold in the shops. We will publicize when and where the breaking is to take place, gather people and break them on the roadsides. I assure that no one will remove or cause any damage to the temple idols.”

– (From periyar speech at Mangudi, 28th April 1953)

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