Vesak Day

Burial vs Cremation?

National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore introduced the New Burial System (NBS) in 2007, limiting the burial time in the public cemetery for 15 years. After 15 years, the grave will be exhumed and one will have 2 choices: get another plot to re-bury or cremate the remaining.

Choa Chu Kang Cemetery is the only Singapore cemetery that still accepts grave burials. Most of the Singaporean will prefer having cremation in Mandai Crematorium.

Deciding how to handle loved one’s cremated ashes?

When a loved one is cremated, one might not sure what to do with the urn and the remains. Placing urn at home is somehow inappropriate for one or family members. Many people find that this is not their first choice and would like to commence with a full funeral service despite the cremation. While it is quite romantic to think about possibly spreading the loved one’s remains in their favorite place or out at sea or inland, most people may not want to do that as one will not have second chance to “re-gather” back the remains for remembrance whenever possible. Thus, many families have turned toward the option of interning the urn in
columbarium.

• check A ground-breaking date is selected after consultations with the deceased family and the holding facility;
• check The people who must be present at the site, grave or columbarium, include the deceased immediate family, Chanting Master (Shifu), and company’s relocation master;
• check The Chanting Master (Shifu) leads the ground-breaking ceremony and worship rituals.
• check The relocation master proceeds to exhume, clean, and pack the remains. In the case of ashes, the relocation master proceeds to open the niche and pack the urn/urns appropriately.