Block A

Burial vs Cremation?

After introducing the New Burial System of the National Environment Agency of Singapore in 2007, land burial is not allowed for more than 15 years. After 15 years, each burial land will be freed of the physical remains, and they will either be shifted to a new plot for re-burying, for the ultimate choice would be to cremate them.
The new policy has been introduced in the wake of the shortage of Burial land in Singapore as Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is the last cemetery that still allows grave burials. In contrast, the majority of Singaporeans prefer cremation in Mandai Crematorium.

What to do with the cremated ashes of the deceased?

After cremation, there are multiple options that one can choose from, but each has its pros and cons.
One can decide to let go of the last remains of their loved ones and go for a green or sea burial, allowing them to become one with nature. But this option lets you have no memorial of the deceased, and many struggles with closure after choosing this option.
On the other hand, keeping the ashes in an urn and storing it in the house is not the most suitable situation, neither for the deceased nor for the house’s inhabitants, as the house is not always clean.
The last option is to put the ashes to rest at a columbarium which allows you to have a place to visit and is also clean enough to provide a peaceful environment to the deceased.

Why is columbarium the ideal solution?

A columbarium is a place designed and built to provide an ideal place for the deceased’s ashes to lay at rest. It is a peaceful, clean and harmonic building with multiple rooms called “columbarium suites.” The suites have various compartments designed with a theme referred to as “niche.”
Nirvana Memorial Garden is currently the most sought-after columbarium in Singapore as it has suites, niches, and themes for each religion in Singapore that allows cremation. It has 28 suites, with most of them dedicated to Buddhists, whereas three suites are designed for freethinkers, which can also be used for Christian and Catholic urns.The theme of each suite is designed to cater to a particular religion. Nirvana Memorial Garden is continuously expanding to accommodate more niches to cater to the increasing demand. The expansion is also focused on providing more room for the visitors who come to visit their loved ones.