Councils throughout New Zealand are being urged to create dedicated areas for Hindus to disperse the cremated remains of family members over water.
Rajan Zed, the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, issued a statement on Tuesday imploring councils in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Tauranga to do more to support Hindu cultural practices.
"These city councils should work with interested local communities to create dedicated areas along the bodies of water available in/nearby their cities so that grieving families and friends could gather and perform the last rituals properly, respectfully and peacefully," Zed said in the statement.
"A multicultural country like New Zealand should be more receptive and responsive to the basic needs of its hard-working, harmonious and peaceful Hindu community, which had made lot of contributions to the nation and society, and continued to do so."
Zed, who is based in the United States, said other cultures could also benefit from a dedicated dispersal area.
Scattering the ashes of the deceased in flowing water is a common cultural practice for Hindus. However, it is considered culturally inappropriate for Māori.
In Hindu culture spreading ashes in flowing water is said to transport the dead person to the next life. The most popular place to perform the rite is the Ganges River, in India, which is considered sacred by Hindus.
In tikanga Māori, however, releasing ashes in water may be forbidden - particularly if the body of water is used as a source of food.
According to Ministry of Health guidelines, "any contact with human remains undermines the sanctity of the waterways and their environs and they cannot be used for their customary purposes until the appropriate rituals have been performed".
According to Auckland Council, scattering of ashes in waterways is not illegal, but anyone wishing to do so should speak to tangata whenua before doing so.
The only approved public place in the capital to scatter ashes is in Willowbank Park, according to the Wellington City Council's webpage.
A spokesperson for the Christchurch City Council said there are currently no rules around scattering ashes, but people are advised to do so away from water and other people, and not to do so on windy days.
"Council staff are currently working with different faith and cultural groups to better ascertain their burial needs for future cemetery provision and in particular for the new proposed cemetery at Templeton," the spokesperson said.
"It is too early to say whether this specific request will be able to be provided at Templeton and there are no current plans to provide for ash scattering at other cemeteries."
Scattering of ashes over existing waterbodies would be ruled out, the spokesperson said.
