Hinduism

Of all ceremonies, funerals vary the most between castes.  Almost all people of higher castes are cremated. The cremation is completed within 24 hours of the person's death, and is done outside with a pyre of wood. An example of this is shown in the first picture. After the cremation, the ashes are spread in a river or lake.

The deceased of lower castes generally are not cremated. Instead, they are just buried in the ground.

An exception to both of these rituals is if the funeral is for a Naga sadhu. This person would be compared to what a saint is in Christianity. The person is not cremated, but instead the body is dropped into a river or lake. In the picture on the left, a funeral of a Naga sadhu is being conducted during a large pilgrimage. This pilgrimage includes of many people and is called an Ardh Kumbh Mela. The river a Naga sadhu is dropped in is one of the two holy rivers, the Ganges or the Yamuna.