Persons living on the banks of the Ganges do not burn the dead, but throw the corpses into the holy water of the river.[143]
If a pregnant woman dies in the eighth month of her pregnancy, the foetus is taken out by cutting open the womb and buried, while the woman is burnt.[144]
Corpses of persons dying an unnatural death are burnt in a Gondaro (place where the village cows rest) or on the village common, in the belief that by so doing the deceased escapes divine wrath and is freed from rebirth.[145]
When a grave is commenced in a certain spot, the corpse must be buried on that spot, even though the ground be rocky or otherwise unsuitable. As far as possible, the corpses of relatives are buried near one another.[145]
The occasions on which the hair is shaved are as follows:—
1. When a boy attains the age of three years, his head is shaved completely for the first time.
2. At the time of performing shrāddha in holy places, the head, except the top-knot, and the moustaches and face must be shaved.
3. On the ninth day after the death of a man, all his male relatives younger than himself have to shave their heads, except the top-knot, and the moustaches and chin.
4. On the day of investing a boy with the sacred thread his head is shaved before the investiture.
5. Amongst high caste Hindus the heads of widows are shaved on the tenth day after the death of their husbands.[146]