SHILLONG:
The mortal remains of former Home Minister Robert G Lyngdoh will be cremated at the Shillong Electric Crematorium at Jhalupara on July 31 as per the wish of the veteran politician.
“It is an all-faith cremation site. People can bring their priests or pastors and perform the rituals as per their faith and beliefs,” said J L Das, president of Greater Shillong Crematorium and Mortuary Society (GSCMS).
Das also informed that the cremation will be held around 2 pm and the services will start at the departed’s residence in Nongrim Hills from 1 pm on Sunday. “After the cremation, the family of (L) RG Lyngdoh will take the ashes,” said Das.
Das also informed that Robert’s connection with the crematorium goes long back when he was the Urban Affairs minister.
Fondly recalling the time when some officials of the GSCMS met the politician to ensure the crematorium sees the light of the day, Das said, “He was the Urban Affairs Minister for a brief period and it was then when we had met him. It was during his tenure that the files for the crematorium – tender for the design and other processes – started moving. We are indebted to him.”
Das further added that the land for the crematorium was acquired in 1996 when JM Pariat was the Home Minister and subsequently, after a change in the government, the matter had fallen into the hands of Robert.
He said that Robert was very impressed with the eco-friendly design of the crematorium and had expressed his wish to be cremated there.
Meanwhile, Robert’s brother, Herbert Garnett Lyngdoh, who is currently the Superintendent of Police in Nongstoin, said that the family is going as per his wish to cremate him.
“I do not know the reason, but just that it was his wish to be cremated. In fact, he wrote about his wish in one of his poems (see insert),” said Herbert.
The poem, Cremate Me, to which Herbert is referring to, explains why Robert wished to be cremated. The poem reveals a lot about the seasoned politician and accomplished musician’s perspective on life and beyond.
It also acts as a kind-of instruction to his family on what they should be doing after he leaves for his heavenly abode as seen in these verses: Do not restrict me/In a claustrophobic box/Or send me into/The bowels of the earth/ To implode, disintegrate/And be stepped upon/Let my spirit fly.