What are the Different Kinds of Cremation Services?

Cremation is when the dead body is reduced to its elements by ways of vaporization and intense heat.  This happens in cremation chambers of crematoriums.

The remains left post cremation are the skeletal remains of bone fragments.  These are pulverized and they are used for the bone picking ritual before interment occurs.

There are certain religions who insist that the body to be burnt.  For example, Hinduism requires that the body is burnt on a pile of wood so that the spirit of detachment is induced in the departed soul.

Cremations can be of different kinds and they can be performed either with or without viewing or visitation and funeral ceremonies.  There are people who go in for direct cremations. These do not include the memorial or funeral services.  There are others who prefer to have a memorial service which is held after the person has been cremated.  There are yet others that have the cremation and that is with a funeral ceremony and viewing too.

The cremations based on the disposal of the cremated remains are many:

People may either on private property scatter the ashes or they may do it in public parks or at places which were important to the person who has passed away.  Some may choose to bury the remains or yet others may keep the ashes in the home.


The Ways of Scattering of Ashes Are

  • Casting: Where these are cast or tossed in the wind.
  • Trenching: Where a shallow trench is being dug and the ashes are poured in them and then it is covered with soil.  Trenching can also be done on beaches so the tide washes the ashes into the sea.
  • Raking: In this method, the ashes are poured on the soil and then it is raked.  This is done usually when the ashes are scattered in the garden.
  • Ringing: In this a ring is formed on the ground around some object, like a circle of candles or a tree.  The urn is held close to the ground and poured in a ring.  A trench could also be dug on the ring.  Instead of a circle, some may choose to dispose it in the form of a star or a heart.
  • Water Scattering:  The ashes could be dispersed in the sea or lake or ocean directly or it could be put in an urn which is water soluble.  After this usually, flower petals are tossed as well.
  • Aerial Scattering:  In this method, the ashes are cast from a private plane. Other methods which are less common are scattering from a helium balloon or scattering it in the holy land or having cremation fireworks or even making a memorial reef or even one could create a glass or diamond of the ashes.

The ashes instead of scattering them can be buried in a cremation plot or else it can be entombed in a crypt which is in a mausoleum or it could be placed in a columbarium.

When one chooses cremation, there is no casket which needs to be purchased.  The funeral home only charges a rental fee for the casket. There is no outside container which needs to be bought either unless one wants to bury the ashes in the cemetery.

People choose cremations, when they look for low cost or when they want the person to have a resting place above ground or when they want the remains to be with the loved ones or when the remains are to be in a location which is not a cemetery.

Leave a Reply