The Dalles Daily Chronicle The Dalles, Oregon January 5, 1909 BODY BURNED UP Cremation Ceremonies Held Over Hindu Today Took Place On Beach of River Mile East of City This Afternoon Gois Singh, a Hindu, aged 25 years, died of typhoid fever at the sanatorium Sunday. His countrymen at Portland were communicated with, several of whom arrived last night to take charge of the body. According to the customs and religious rites of the Hindu, the body was cremated this afternoon on the beach a mile east of this city, two cords of oak wood being used in so doing. First the oaken pyre was constructed being about three feet in height, four feet wide and eight feet long, on which the remains were placed and more wood was thrown on the body, and kerosene was poured over the whole pile. It requires, as a usual thing, three hours in which to consume a human body at that sort of a crematorium and today, storming as it did, it required a longer time. The ashes were gathered and cast into the Columbia. It is the belief of the Hindus that the soul after the death of its temporary possessor, must be born again in some material semblance, in order that it may complete the work unfinished in some previous state of existence until its task is accomplished and perfection be attained. The Hindus ashes, left from cremation, is given back to the elements of nature, the water and air, after having been obtained from the agni or fire. The Hindus are given to addressing the elements of nature as if they were divine beings and many of them worship the sun, the air and other elements of nature. There was no religious ceremony aside from the cremation. When asked if they would offer prayer or sing, the interpreter said today at the cremation that it would “do no good now as the soul has left the body.” Earline, Columbia Gorge Genealogical Society http://community.oregonlive.com/cc/genealogy