Calgary’s Hindu community pushes for designated area to spread ashes of loved ones

The scattering of ashes into a flowing river is a sacred tradition for those of the Hindu faith as well as other denomination.

However, they say the City of Calgary lacks a designated area where the important ritual can occur.

“Our request is for the city of Calgary to provide a designated, safe, reliable, and weatherproof place. Where we can perform this ash scattering ritual,” said Rashesh Bhagat, the president, Bhartiya Multicultural Heritage Society.

This last rite ritual is an important aspect of the Hindu grieving process, providing closure for families after a loved one has passed.

WATCH: CityNews’ Jasmine Vickaryous reports on Calgary’s Hindu community calling for the city to provide a safe space to spread the ashes of loved ones.

“That is the last rite, that is their right to do that. It gives the eternal peace,” said Jit Davda, the head of Funeral Committee.

They say they are willing to work with the City of Calgary to find a place away from the water treatment plant or recreational use areas of the river.

With rushing water and slippery riverbeds, there are safety concerns that people may fall into the river with no designated access point.

“The provincial government is allowing us to disperse the ashes onto the crown land and the crown water,” said Bhavin Amin, a secretary at the Bhartiya Multicultural Heritage Society. “Our concern is for the safety of the people who are going to disperse the ashes into the flowing water.”

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Other cities across North America with large Hindu communities have created designated areas to perform these rituals.

And with a growing Hindu population in Calgary, many are not able to afford or travel to the River Ganges in India to spread the ashes of loved ones.

“More and more families have their family members in Calgary, and they would prefer to do it here. It saves them all the expensive travelling,” said Davda.

Bhartiya multicultural heritage society has created an online petition for the designation of an ash-scattering area with over one thousand signatures.

CityNews reached out to the City of Calgary but it was not able to provide a comment at the time of this publication.