Entebbe, Uganda: The Ruparelia family on Tuesday, May 13, performed the Asthi Visarjan, a final Hindu rite, for the late Rajiv Ruparelia in an intimate and emotional ceremony on the waters of Lake Victoria.
The ceremony, attended by close family members, marked the family’s final farewell to Rajiv, who died in a tragic road accident on the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway on May 3. He was 35.
Leading the ceremony was Rajiv’s father, a business magnate and Ugandan Billionaire, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, alongside his wife Jyotsna, daughters Meera and Sheena, and a few close relatives.
In the emotive moment, the family scattered Rajiv’s cremated remains into the lake as part of the sacred Hindu ritual that symbolizes the final release of the soul. Rajiv was cremated on May 6 at the Hindu Crematorium in Lugogo, Kampala.
Speaking after the ceremony, Dr. Sudhir gave a moving tribute to his only son, describing him as a kind-hearted man whose legacy will live on through acts of charity and compassion. He urged Rajiv’s friends and associates to continue his legacy by giving back to society, values that Rajiv strongly upheld in life.
Rajiv Ruparelia is survived by his wife, Naiya, and their young daughter, Inara.
What is Asthi Visarjan, and why it matters?
Asthi Visarjan is a sacred Hindu rite where the cremated remains (asthi) of a deceased person are immersed in a body of water—usually considered holy—to aid the soul’s liberation (moksha). “Asthi” means ashes or bone fragments, and “Visarjan” means immersion.
While the Ganges River in India is the most recognized site for this rite, families often choose other significant water bodies to complete the ceremony. In the case of the Ruparelias, Lake Victoria provided a spiritual and personal setting for Rajiv’s final journey.
The Asthi Visarjan is performed as the final act of the funeral rites (Antyesti), symbolizing the return of the physical body to the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and ether.
The ritual represents closure for the family and spiritual freedom for the departed soul. By immersing the ashes into water, the family honors both nature and the deceased, completing a vital spiritual responsibility and praying for peace and liberation of the soul.
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