Last Journey
By Unexhibited
Summary
This short report describes a remarkable funeral procession for a Jaina nun in Madras. The photograph accompanying the report shows the nun’s body carried in a seated meditative posture, led by other nuns and novices through the streets to a cremation ground outside the city. It was the first time a Jaina funeral cortege left the narrow lanes of George Town, and many onlookers mistook the solemn event for a festival because of the disciplined, dignified appearance of the procession. The report underscores the respect accorded to ascetics in Jainism and the community’s commitment to honouring their last journey with decorum. It also implicitly reflects Jaina funerary customs: Digambara monks and nuns often undertake sallekhanā (fasting unto death), and their bodies are cremated seated to symbolise equanimity at the moment of death. Lay followers accompany the procession in silence, reciting hymns and meditating on impermanence. Such rituals remind the community of life’s transience and the importance of spiritual preparedness. By recording this event, the journal preserves the memory of a moment when ascetic ideals intersected with urban life, provoking curiosity and reflection among observers.
Conclusion
The ‘Last Journey’ report captures the reverence afforded to Jain ascetics and illustrates how funerary rituals convey doctrinal values. The sight of a seated corpse carried through Madras highlights the Jain ideal of meeting death with equanimity and reminds observers that life’s end can be a spiritual culmination rather than a mournful termination.