Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	Is It Right Or Wrong
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Monday, 11/25/2002 12:52 PM MST

SAT SRIA AKAL JI. MY QUESTION IS WHEN A MOTHER GIVE BIRTH TO A DIED CHILD DURING DELIVERY, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH IT? I ASKED YOU THIS QUESTION BECAUSE FEW DAY AGO, A FAMILY IN INDIA ,PUNJAB WHOM I KNOW , GAVE BIRTH TO DIED CHILD . THEY TOOK THE CHILD ,CLEAN IT N THEN WRAP IT WITH A CLOTH N TOOK IT TO A BIG CANAL AND RELEASE THE BODY INTO THE CANAL . WHAT PUZZLE OR MADE ME ANGRY IS THEY SAID THIS IS THE WAY TO DO DURING 'OLDEN DAYS'. IS IT RIGHT THING TO IN OUR WONDERFUL SIKHISM.I AM DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THIS KIND OF THING.

----

It is not for us to judge how relatives decide to grieve or release the body. But, as Sikhs, my understanding is that a baby's soul is just as intact as an adult's. You would do for a baby Sikh the same as any other Sikh - wash the body with milk, do the prayers and cremate it. It was a Hindu tradition to release the body into the river. I don't know if that is even legal now-a-days, considering sanitation and all. GTKK