Covid-19 lockdown: Kanpur's bank preserves ashes of the dead for immersion later

The 'Asthi Kalash bank' in Kanpur has been keeping the ashes of the dead awaiting immersion in holy rivers. Bank authorities informed that 60 urns containing ashes have been kept in the bank lockers since the lockdown was imposed.

Kanpur(Uttar Pradesh): This unique bank in Kanpur that preserves ashes of the deceased awaiting immersion in the holy rivers has seen a spike in customers due to COVID-19 lockdown.

Instead of containing precious jewels and documents, the lockers of the 'Asthi Kalash bank' at Bhairon Ghat is being utilized by people to keep urns containing ashes of the deceased. 60 such urns containing ashes have been kept in the bank lockers since the lockdown was imposed.

"A large number of people want to immerse the ashes of their loved one in Prayagraj, Varanasi or Haridwar but they are unable to go there due to the lockdown. Since ashes cannot be kept at home, as per Hindu tradition, we are keeping them in the bank till the lockdown is over. There are about 60 urns containing ashes," said Manoj Sengar who set up the bank in 2014 under the aegis of Yug Dadhichi Dehdaan Sansthan.

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Sengar said: "I set up the bank in 2014 when I realised that there are people whose children live abroad and they are unable to come in time for the cremation. The relatives who perform the last rites also cannot stay back for long. So, we started this to preserve the ashes until the children come and claim them. There are no charges and we only give a card to the family which bears the locker number."

The bank is also the custodian of those ashes that remain unclaimed. "In some cases, people do not return to claim the ashes. We wait for a year and then perform 'Bhu-visarjan' by burying them in the ground," he said.

Sengar said that he plans to extend the services in other cities of the state too.

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