As we bid farewell, comfort and dignity should never be a luxury. Thimphu deserves a place where final rites are met with respect, not compromise. With prolonged talks about relocating Thimphu’s Hejo Crematorium, the need for additional infrastructure at the current site has become urgent. As more families bring their loved ones for cremation, they face inadequate facilities, including an insufficient mortuary, cremation chamber, kitchen, and more.
The Hejo Crematorium handles a minimum of eight to a maximum of 18 bodies for cremation simultaneously.
Cremations are conducted on alternate days. If the days are deemed unsuitable according to astrology, cremations are postponed.
The crematorium is equipped with 11 mortuaries, three large living rooms each with an attached kitchen, and seven small living rooms with attached kitchens.
Additionally, it has eleven cremation chambers and three incinerators.
However, as the number of bodies brought in for cremation continues to rise, the existing facilities have become inadequate.
Chador Tshering, Chhoepoen of Hejo Crematorium said “People face inconveniences, such as not being able to find shelter and having to set up tents in heavy rain when there are many bodies at the same time. They come to us seeking help, but we are often helpless. When around 18 bodies need to be cremated in a single day, rain can prevent us from carrying out the cremation process properly.”
He added that with only four proper mortuaries available, people guarding bodies at night face challenges like mosquitoes and rain in the summer, and extreme cold during winters.
Similarly, people pointed out the struggles they encounter at the crematorium.”
“We were planning to come a few days earlier, but we couldn’t get a space. When we finally arrived, there was no place to keep the body, so we had to set up a tent in the rain. If the government plans to keep the crematorium here, additional mortuaries and kitchens are needed,” said Namgay Dorji.
Pema Tshering, another resident said “There is a lack of cremation chambers and mortuaries. There are only four large rooms and a few single rooms to keep the bodies. When people have to keep the bodies outside, it becomes muddy and inconvenient.”
Meanwhile, according to the Thimphu Thromde, about Nu 7 M was spent on the Hejo Crematorium since 2019 for repairs and maintenance.
The thromde said that although they are responsible to manage the crematorium, any major changes or overall improvement must be routed through the Zhung Dratshang.
The thromde added that it has not received clear directives from the Zhung Dratshang to relocate the crematorium and that no new site has been identified for now.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Sherub Dorji
