Ashes to ashes

Today Satish was cremated according to the Hindu traditions. Before the actual cremation a remembrance service was held at the family home where friends and family could pay their last respects and Hindu rituals were peformed to ensure safe passage to the afterlife. Like the two evenings before, many people attended. After the service we went to Weg naar Zee (Road to the Sea), the place where cremations take place that is about 30 minutes from Paramaribo. Cremations are usually held around the same time every day. When we arrived another cremation was also being prepared (up to 6 can be done simultaneously!). Everything is done in the traditional way. The coffin is put on wooden planks, piled about 1.5 metres high. On both the pile and the coffin Indian style butter (ghee) is poured and other items are also placed in the coffin as offerings. The pile is ritually lit and left to burn. The people witnessing the cremation usually stay an hour or two, but the pile generally smolders until the next morning.

Remembrance

This evening the traditional Hindu baithak (wake) was held at Satish's house. The baithak gives family and friends the opportunity to pay their last respects and remember those they have lost. During the baithak, that usually lasts an hour, the pandit (Hindu priest) recites verses from the holy books to ensure that the soul has safe passage into the afterlife and receives blessings. Tomorrow the baithak will be held again with further verses recited.

Satish Singh (1958-2007)

With great shock and disbelief we received the news this morning that our friend and partner Satish Singh died in Amsterdam today. This weekend we had already gotten the news that Satish had suffered a severe stroke. As it turned out it was a brain anurism with a clot the size of an egg. The doctors had never seen one of this size before. Apparently Satish had had it voor several years with having any problems. Despite two operations, of which the first seemed to have a positive effect, the pressure build up and blood flow in the brain was too much. Anand and I are helping family and friends as much as we can in this difficult time. The cremation will be on Sunday.

Opening Vasco Profiles

Today Vasco Profiles, the company where we are working at the moment, held its official opening of the office and production facilities. Several ministers, dignitaries, family and friends were invited to witness the occasion. Above the two main shareholders of the company, Chris van der Vossen and Vasco Tonch, during the ceremony. In true Suriname style the speeches were kept short so there would be more time to eat and drink! And, indeed, the food was delicious!!

Hindustani Wedding

Today I had a chance to witness the first part of a traditional three day Hindustani wedding. On the first day the parents of the bride go to the house of the groom's parents to request permission for the marriage. Family members join both families for the ceremonie, as well as vegetarian food and non-alcoholic drinks. Hindustani weddings in Suriname are generally 'sitting parties' whereby people basically sit around and talk to their friends and family. Although for the other two days there is often a live band (a hint of modernism at an otherwise traditional event), people don't really dance or otherwise seem to have fun. Actually, many seem to come to wedding because they feel obliged to and to been seen!