The main mourner lights a candle on top of the coffin, which symbolically lights the cremation oven. After cremation, the ashes are sent in an urn to India for spreading in the holy river Ganges. The death ritual lasts 12 days. During this period, the mourners are ritually unclean. They do not go to the temple, and must cover all religious pictures and figures that they have in the house.
Family members sleep on the floor, and eat only vegetarian food.
On the twelfth day, possessions of the eldest son are given to charity. Each month during the first year after the death, a pinda rice-ball and bowl of water are offered in memory of the dead person. Sons will hold a memorial service each year on the day of their father's death as long as they are alive.