Question

What Experience you had when someone you loved died (This could even include a pet!). Write a 200-word essay to share your experience. did you experince the 5 levels/stages of grief as explained by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross? if you didn't experience the levels/stages, explain why?

What are some cultural traditions that you do when someone dies?

Answer 1

I was a school boy when one of my best friends "Suresh" dies in a road accident. I am from India and reside in the semi- urban part of the country.

My friend was travelling to Konkan region of the Maharashtra state. His father had consecutive four holidays, that's why they made the plan to go for tourism. But there was a collision between their car and a truck. Suresh and his parents, all the three died on the spot.

The news reached to us when we were in school. Most of us broke fiercely. It was hard to control. I was completely lost.

I was continuously in tears for the next 3-4 days. I did not go to school, did not come out of room. I went on going through our photographs, his handwriting etc.

I didn't take fine food even. When i was nearly forced to take food, i vomited. When i started going in school, my teachers were giving me support with a focus. I realised that. Because they knew that we were the best friends and were always together.

My friend had requested me to join him for enjoying the holidays. But i refused because my mother was having fever. But after his death, i thought that i would have joined him and we would have died together.

The 5 levels/stages of grief as explained by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross- denial and anger, depression, bargaining and eventually accepting were not the part of my experience.

The news of death came suddenly. I was lost. I do't think that there were all these five stages part of what happened to me, may be because it was the exceptionally close relation.

When someone dies, in Indian, specifically in Hindu culture, person is given a bath, then taken to a place where he is to be burned. People chant for hours together because it is believed that the soul escapes the body peacefully if chanting is performed.

Afterwards, the bones and the residues are sacrifices either into an ocean or the river. In the end by donating clothes, money, etc to the needy, the things caome to an end.