Shailesh Bhatia/Mid-day

Mumbai, Feb 5: Going green without the wooden caskets traditionally used to bury the departed seems to be the new mantra adopted by the Christian community in Mumbai and its outskirts.

In one of the very first of its kind funeral in the city, which was held on Friday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception or IC Church as it is popularly known in Borivli, 60-year-old Steven Castelino was laid to rest, wrapped in a simple cloth sheet, but without the coffin.

Undertakers shocked

"My son has always been passionate about saving the ecosystem. When my husband passed away after a long ailment, which had affected his organs, we mutually decided to follow the recent suggestions issued by our parish and also respect the wishes of my late husband to do away with the wooden casket," says Doreen, Castelino' widow.

She adds that the cost of a casket was between Rs 5,000-50,000 and the same money could instead be saved and given to the needy.

"We have decided to give the money saved to someone who wants to study, but can't afford the fees. This gesture will be more befitting to the memory of my late husband. Initially, the undertakers were astonished by our unusual request not to use a coffin. But once the parish priest gave his approval in writing to go ahead with our simple burial, all doubts were sorted out," she reveals.

Why chop trees?

Doreen's son Santosh says that his father's body was wrapped in a simple white sheet and put on to a stretcher and carried to the burial ground in an ambulance.

Christine D'Souza (name changed on request), friend of the Castelinos, agrees with the sentiments of the family and added that apart from the fact that the caskets were made after chopping trees, the cost factor was another area of concern.

"When my mother died a couple of years ago, I spent Rs 25,000 on an expensive teak wood casket. It was just an emotional thing at that point of time, but when I look back at it today, I firmly believe that it was a wasteful expenditure and the same money could be used for charity," says D'Souza, who has now instructed her daughter to give her a simple burial, when her time comes.

Save nature, says Church Father Suren Abreu, of the IC colony Church, welcomes the initiative taken by the Castelino family and urges others to follow their example.

"It has been our endeavour to educate the masses on the virtues of saving nature. Many followers are under the misconception that spending more money on expensive coffins is not only a mark of respect for the dead, but also status symbol. Discarding coffins is just a part of our eco-friendly drive taken up by the churches across the city, which dissuades the use of plastic. We want to encourage taking public transport or walking to the Church for the Sunday mass, planting more trees or saving water in our day-to-day life," says Father Abreu.

Reusing steel coffins

Quoting the Holy Bible, the priest gives the example of the Shroud of Turin, which is kept in the Royal Chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin , Italy .  Followers believe that the linen was placed on the body of Jesus Christ, during his final hours and bears the impression of his face. Father Abreu informs that in the old days, even a grave was not dug. The dead were wrapped in cloth and left in a cave.

He adds that followers from the Vasai and Virar parishes too have gone eco-friendly with their burials and now have a single steel coffin in thei churches, which is reused.

"Going eco friendly in our day-to-day lives should be welcomed by one and all, irrespective of cast, creed or religion. That is the only way our planet is going to survive," he urges.
 

The Church approves

Anthony Charanghat, spokesperson for Archbishop Oswald Gracias, too welcomed the eco-friendly way of saying goodbye to your loved ones.

"Though there are no stringent guidelines to do away with wooden coffins completely, as it is basically a personal choice of the grieving family, those who discard it would be following the path shown by the Holy Father," he said.

Abraham Mathai, vice chairperson of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission and general manager of the All India Christian Community, too praised the initiative taken by the Castalino family. "There is no hard and fast rule which says that coffins have to be compulsorily used in Catholic burials. So if people are adopting a simpler and eco-friendly way, the gesture should be appreciated and encouraged," he said.