Hindus believe the soul is not exclusively destined to one body, but it will simply live in a number of bodies (human or not) before it achieves its ultimate destination of liberty. To achieve the final stage, Hindus should practice to liberate themselves from attachments and wishes and live a life that will release them from the cycle. Hindus give little importance to the body. They believe that the body is a temporary prison for the soul, and that the body creates attachments and wishes that stop advancement towards liberty. Furthermore, the function of cremation in Hindu funerals is to terminate the soul’s connections to the body it leaves, allowing it to move towards liberty. The only Hindus that are not usually cremated are babies, children, and those who are thought to be pure and unattached to their bodies. They can be buried instead of cremated. Hindus are customarily cremated across the River Ganges as part of the funeral rites. The cremation ceremony and the funeral rituals prepare the soul to leave the body and get ready for its journey towards liberty.
