Case I: Civic authorities found the body of a woman, Ramdai, lying outside a crematorium in Ghazipur district. When no one came for hours to claim the body, they understood that her kin must have abandoned her body fearing infection

Case II: Lakhana was seen crying next to the body of his wife at the district hospital’s mortuary. When asked, he said he had no money to perform her last rites

Varanasi: : The fury of coronavirus pandemic has devastated many families, especially the underprivileged ones, which do not have enough money to ensure proper treatment to their loved ones or to perform the last rites Covid-19 victims in a dignified manner. To provide respite to people in distress, a philanthropist from Ghazipur district, Virendra Singh, and businessman Sanjay Rai Sherpuria, have started a unique bank, Baikunth Dham Antyeshti Lakdi Bank (wood bank), to arrange for the cremation of unclaimed bodies or of those who do not have money for rituals.

The initiative comes at a time when people are deserting their Covid-19 positive kin in their final journey and even dumping bodies in rivers. “People like Lakhana lend a face to the larger problem that emerges amid the Covid-19 crisis in individual families. There is no dearth of cases like that of Ramdai. While we must try to save as many lives as possible, it is equally important to ensure that those who have departed are given a decent farewell,” said Virendra Singh, who has been cremating unclaimed bodies as and when required, with or without the help of local authorities. The self-motivated, unemployed youth has earned the titled of ‘Laawaris ka waris Virendra’ in Ghazipur district for shouldering the unique responsibility.

The idea of setting up a wood bank struck Singh when he first met Sanjay Rai Sherpuria at the district hospital. Both of them felt bad that the pandemic was pulling human values to such a low level that relatives are not ready to touch the bodies of their dear ones. “I asked Virendra what to do about such people and he simply replied… karna kya hai… inka antim sanskar karna hai… As a businessman I offered him money but he refused. So, I provided him with truckloads of wood for free to perform the cremation of the poor and needy. This is how the bank started,” Sherpuria recalled. “Reports of dead bodies being dumped in the Ganga strengthened our resolve that something must be done to check this,” he said, adding that the cost of funeral in Covid-19 times has gone up by 4-5 times.

“On an average, about 6-7 mann (maund) of wood is required for cremation. The cost of one mann wood has gone up from about Rs 250 to Rs 1,000-1,250 nowadays. Then the cost of performing other rituals is also about Rs 2,000-3,000 which adds up to around Rs 8,000-10,000 per cremation. This is not even the total annual earnings of many families in poverty-stricken Purvanchal region,” he said.

The bank has also started a helpline number to facilitate people approach them.

Posters have been put up at the crematorium and outside hospitals. “In two days, we have helped 10 persons. We are also getting calls from village heads but we are using discretion and taking the help of civic and hospital administration to identify those who genuinely need help,” Singh said, hoping that more people would join the cause. “The facility will be extended to eight other ghats of the district next week,” Sherpuria said.

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