Shmashana
A śmaśāna (Devanagari: श्मशान) is a Hindu crematory ground, where dead bodies are brought to be burnt on a pyre. It is usually located near a river or body of water on the outskirts of a village or town; as they are usually located near river ghats they are also called smashan ghat. The word has its origin from Sanskrit language: shma refers to shava ("corpse"), while shana refers to shanya ("bed"). The other Indian religions like Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism also use śmaśāna for the last rites of the dead. Hinduism As per Hindu rites of Nepal and India, the dead body is brought to śmaśāna for Antim Sanskar (last rites). At the cremation ground, the chief mourner has to obtain the sacred fire from one who resides by the śmaśāna and light funeral pyres (chita) for a fee. Various Hindu scriptures also give details of how to select the site of śmaśāna: it should be on the northern side of the village with land sloping towards the south, it should be near a river or a source of water and should not be visible from a distance. Dead bodies are traditionally cremated on a funeral pyre usually made