Virtual attendance: For those who cannot be there, live streaming of cremations provides chance to say goodbye

For the first time in the state, Ranaghat municipality in Nadia has launched an app conducting live streaming of cremation for those, who are staying away from home and have lost loved ones during this tough time.

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 2 MAY: The coronavirus pandemic has meant much of what we’re used to have has been put on hold, but there are some areas of life that we just can’t control. Cremation and funeral activities are considered an essential service that will continue amid the many changes happening throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.

For the first time in the state, Ranaghat municipality in Nadia has launched an app conducting live streaming of cremation for those, who are staying away from home and have lost loved ones during this tough time.  

Due to the restriction imposed on movements from one place to another during lockdown phase, the relatives of the deceased who are staying outside at different places across the country or in foreign countries are now able to watch live streaming of cremation of their loved ones.

Biswajit Hazra (named changed on request), an engineer with a private company in Bangalore, had to watch his 84-year-old mother’s cremation online on Tuesday as he was unable to come to his native village in Ranaghat due to the lockdown.

“I had managed to obtain permission from the authorities to travel from Bangalore to my village in a four-wheeler. But my relatives advised me to stay in Bangalore. I watched the cremation of my mother on Ranaghat municipality’s app live streaming,” Biswajit Hazra said.

“I had managed to obtain permission from the authorities to travel from Bangalore to my village in a four-wheeler. But my relatives advised me to stay in Bangalore. I watched the cremation of my mother on Ranaghat municipality’s app live streaming,” Hazra said.

The coronavirus pandemic has not only affected people’s lives but also changed their deaths.

Like Biswajit, many people who are staying away from home are being forced to watch online cremation service due to the restrictions to contain the outbreak.

Partha Chatterjee, chairman of Ranaghat municipality said, “We have launched the app many days ago. But this time, we have begun live streaming cremation more regularly to allow people who either stay outside or are self-isolating to still be a part of the ceremony”.

“We have begun live streaming cremation, which we’ve had lots of positive feedback from folks who are either unable to travel or feel like they don’t need to be out in the public,” said Chatterjee.

He also said, “A few days ago, one of my relatives died. Most of her family members stay in foreign countries. With the help of our live streaming cremation service, they all watched the cremation. This apart, we receive many calls from different people who wished to watch cremation of their loved ones”.

Samik Majumdar, PA to chairman and who monitor the entire system said, “Anyone who wish to watch live streaming cremation will have to install ezviz app. Then he or she will have to put user name rghat.municipality@gmail.com followed by putting up password – rana@123. The fourth step is to put verification code –TKNIIZ”.

“Since the beginning of this app and live streaming cremation, several people encouraged us for this service and even they have requested to initiate funeral services online. But, we have currently no plans to start such service because many institutions here provide such services”, said Majumdar.