The sun cast its somber rays upon the mournful gathering, as the priest's solemn chants filled the air. The ritual of bidding farewell to Riya had begun, and the family's hearts were heavy with grief. Rajesh and Nalani, Riya's parents, stood beside the lifeless body of their beloved daughter, their eyes brimming with tears.
As the priest concluded the prayers, the pallbearers carefully lifted Riya's body and carried it to the cremation ground. The sound of wailing and sobbing grew louder, echoing through the desolate landscape. Maya, stood frozen, her emotions locked deep within.
A flashback flashed before their minds, a memory that seemed like an eternity ago. Riya, then just 10 years old, had posed an innocent question to her parents. "Appa, Amma, why do we burn the person's body after they die? Don't they get hurt?" Her parents had exchanged a knowing smile, familiar with their little one's curiosity.
Maya, then 14, had intervened, "It's to purify them. Now, don't ask me how, I don't know. Granny told me." Riya's face had scrunched in discontent, but her mother had swiftly redirected her attention to lunch.
Now, as they stood beside Riya's lifeless body, the memory cut deep. Rajesh and Nalani's eyes welled up, and they struggled to contain their anguish. Maya, still trying to hold back her emotions, finally succumbed. She leaned forward, her lips brushing against Riya's forehead as she whispered, "Everything will be done as it should be."
With a heavy heart, Rajesh lit the funeral pyre. The flames engulfed Riya's body, and the family's wails grew louder. One by one, the mourners began to depart, leaving Maya alone beside the burning pyre.
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As she stood there, lost in grief, a gentle hand rested on her shoulder. To be continued...
