Rourkela: The death of someone from the Hindu community in Rourkela is able to provide food for the family of a minor boy which includes his ailing widow mother and three young brothers and sisters. Cremation has been the source of income for the 15-year-old who is carrying his family’s burden after the demise of his father.
Arjun Nayak’s father Kartik Nayak died four years ago and his elder brother is working outside as a truck helper. His mother is suffering from illness and three young brothers and sisters are studying in a government school.
After the death of his father, who worked as a cremator at the Mukti Dham in Vedvyas of Rourkela, the minor boy took over the responsibility of his family in the absence of his elder brother. He has been assisting in the cremation work at the Mukti Dham.
On the day a body is burnt, Arjun is able to earn some money and provide for his family. Whenever a dead body comes for cremation, Arjun naturally assists in it in one way or another. For this, Arjun gets one to two hundred rupees from the deceased’s family.
He also collects the necessary materials needed for the last rites of a person and provides them to family members of the deceased person at a cost. He does not accept money from poor people and even provides the necessary things for free from his own collection.
Being a minor, Arjun has been barred by the board of trustees to work at the crematorium. But his family will go without food if he stops doing the work. Arjuna indulges himself in such a task by avoiding the problems for the sake of his sick mother and young siblings.
