Death Not A Tragedy, But Celebration: 40 Elderly People Waiting To Die In Varanasi's Mumukshu Bhavan

Often, people are found going to the crematorium with a dead body can be found dancing and singing in front of the dead body.

Varanasi:As many as 40 elderly people living in Mumukshu Bhavan, a place where elderly people who believe in 'Kashyam Marnam Mukti” (‘Death in Kashi leads to salvation'), eagerly wait for their death.

At the premises of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, all are waiting for their final sojourn. Many of them have been living in this place for a long time, leaving their family and property. In fact, Varanasi is the only city where death is 'celebrated' as a festival.

Often, people are found going to the crematorium with a dead body can be found dancing and singing in front of the dead body. This is only because death here is not considered a tragedy but as a celebration. According to devotees of Lord Shiva, to die here means to attain salvation and with this desire, elderly people gather here.

Free facilities in Mumukshu Bhavan

Mumukshu Bhavan in Assi area of ​​Varanasi and Mukti Bhavan operating in Laksa area house dying people. Dozens of people are living in these places. Along with the renovation of Kashi Vishwanath Dham, a Mumukshu Bhavan was also established here.

Started about two and a half years ago, this place has been opened free of charge by Tara Sansthan and Narayan Seva Sansthan of Udaipur. But along with the arrangement of 40 people, arrangements have been made for accommodation in three floors. Food, drinks and treatment are free. The management said that Tara Sansthan runs on charity. Authorities said no fee of any kind is charged to the people staying here. There are just some rules that have to be followed.

Doctors and nurses available for 24 hours

Sunaina Khare, manager of Mumukshu Bhavan, said that this building has an accommodation facility for 40 people at a time. If someone is up to 65 years old, then he is provided a bed here. Khare said that all the people live together here in a dormitory.

“They can also prepare food in a small kitchen. Morning tea, breakfast, evening tea, and food are also provided to everyone free of cost. Apart from this, a team of two doctors, nurses and counselors are available for 24 hours a day,”Khare said.

Khare said that group cremation is also held at Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghat in Kashi and people reach here for salvation. Keeping these mythological beliefs in mind, the main building of Vishwanath Dham has been constructed in Baidyanath Bhavan at a distance of about 100 meters from the bank of Ganga. Elderly people who want to take their last breath in Kashi. They are placed here.

'4000 people attained salvation in Mumukshu Bhawan'

The manager said that up to now, 4,000 people 'embraced' death here so far. Ninety-two-year-old Badri Prasad, who came all the way from Rajasthan, has been waiting for death for two years. He said there is none in his family. Eighty-six-year old Girija Devi, who left Kashmir and reached Prayagraj 17 years ago, has now come here to spend the last years of her life.