Dear Editor,

It is heartening to note that repairs/renovations are taking place at Doongerwadi. Wouldn’t this be a great opportunity to build a much needed crematorium which would not only give our community a safe and hygienic system for disposal of our dead with dignity but will also be of great convenience in holding obsequies in the same area. For over 5 years our Trustees haven’t guided us as to which system of disposal is practiced to-day at Doongarwadi ever since the ‘demise’ of our feathered friends (vultures) and the breakdown of an already dysfunctional solar-energy attempt.

It now appears that the dead bodies are piled up one over another at a ghastly average rate of a dozen a week and allowed to putrefy in the most unhygienic and humiliating manner. Installing a crematorium should not raise any problems with any of our various authorities like Governmental/ legal/ environment/ social or even our religious ones, since we were allowed to build one at Worli, instead of our peaceful and environmentally friendly place at Doongarwadi. The BPP should keep us informed about any progress/ development/upkeep of the unprivileged etc.

Lastly, our present-day Bawa-thinking seems to be relying deeply on unqualified orthodox dictats, age old beliefs, superstitions, hearsay…. forgetting that plain common sense and spiritual introspection can lead us to lofty heights in our way of thinking. Remember, he who tries to reach the sky climbs higher than he who tries to reach a tree top. Till then may good thoughts prevail!

P. D. Paul