Mourners miss gran's funeral for safety reasons
Picture: Pixabay Picture: Pixabay
Durban - DECIDING who could attend Gayathree Bhagwandin’s funeral at the Clare Estate Crematorium on Sunday was difficult for her family.
They knew that during the 21-day lockdown, no more than 20 people could attend a funeral - and this included the priest and the undertakers.
The 80-year-old, from Springfield Park, died earlier that day.
“My mom was loved by many people and choosing who could attend the funeral and who could not was not easy,” said Bhagwandin’s son, Ashwin.
He said his mother’s sister and his eldest son, who lived in Johannesburg, could not travel because of the lockdown.
“It was a totally different way of doing things. It’s not the norm that we are used to. I had to arrange for permits for those attending and we could not get the prayer items because the shops were closed.
“Fortunately, the undertakers, Newlands City Funerals, had the necessary goods.”
He said he and his brother would now have to conduct other rituals, such as the 10th and 13th day ceremonies, at their respective homes.
Rivaaj Ramdas, Ashwin’s cousin, said the mourners wore masks.
“I constantly sanitised my hands. I sanitised the seats because another funeral was held earlier. We practised social distancing.”
He said his aunt was well known in the community.
“Every year she hosted a prayer for the wellness of the community and many people, regardless of their religion, attended. She went out of her way to help others and that’s what people loved about her.”