Calling offbeat travellers: Bizarre burial rituals from across the globe!

The title might sound weird but it's as interesting as it gets! Burial rituals have always played an important role in cultures across the globe. These tell about the beliefs, traditions, and customs of various societies. There are some burial rituals that are bizarre yet fascinating!

The Aboriginal people in Australia believe that upon death, a person's spirit returns to the land before proceeding on a journey of rebirth. Initiating this spiritual transition involves a ceremonial smoke ritual held in the deceased's home to guide the spirit away. The body is subsequently positioned on a platform covered in leaves, where it remains for several months, undergoing a natural decomposition process.

In Madagascar, the Merina people participate in a unique ritual known as Famadihana or Turning of the Bones. Every five to seven years, families gather to exhume the bodies of their ancestors, rewrap them in fresh burial cloths, and dance with the remains in a jubilant celebration.

The Toraja people in Indonesia believe in a long funeral ceremony. In this ritual, the deceased is not considered truly gone until a series of ceremonies. The most striking aspect is the mummification process, where the body is preserved using a mixture of formaldehyde and other natural substances.

Tibetans believe in offering the remains to vultures. The body is left exposed on mountaintops, allowing nature to take its course. This ritual is rooted in the Buddhist belief.

This is probably one of the most interesting of all as hanging coffins of Sagada in the Philippines defies gravity! This is practised by ancient Igorot people wherein dead are placed in wooden coffins and suspended from the sides of limestone cliffs. People believe that this ritual brings the departed closer to the heavens, avoiding potential floodwaters and predators on the ground.