The Bombay Municipal Corporation’s ban on the immersion of ashes in the sea has raised the issue of where to dispose of the ashes from the consecrated fires. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) has stepped in to assist, creating special pits on the Doongerwadi grounds for the purpose.
"Pits have been created to help fire temples because not everybody has a place to dispose of the ashes,” BPP chairman Viraf Mehta told The Free Press Journal (FPJ) of January 28, 2025. Elaborating further, Ervad (Dr) Ramiyar Karanjia, principal of the Dadar Athornan Institute, told the newspaper that fire temples with large compounds usually bury the ashes from the holy fires, called rakhia, in their gardens or have it strewn under trees. "However, small temples that have no compounds had a problem. This is sacred ash. These temples would collect the ashes and periodically carry them in a boat to dispose them of in the deep sea. Now that this practice has been banned, the BPP has come up with a solution.”
Ash pits at Doongerwadi; atash
Ashes however can be harmful to the environment whether disposed of in the sea or on land.
References to ChatGPT and Google found that wood ash is highly alkaline and can raise soil pH (Potential of Hydrogen which measures how acidic or alkaline a subsance is) excessively, harming plant life if over applied. If washed into waterways, it can increase water pH and contribute to nutrient imbalances, harming aquatic life.
While small amounts of natural wood ash can be beneficial when used wisely, excessive or improper disposal can harm ecosystems.
The amount of ash produced from burning wood depends on the type of wood and its composition. Generally, wood ash makes up about 0.5% to 2% of the original weight of the wood.
For one ton (1,000 kg) of burnt wood, at 0.5% ash yield, it would produce 5 kg of ash. At 2% ash yield, it would produce 20 kg of ash. So, the ash produced from burning one ton of wood typically ranges between five to 20 kg.
With over 50 fire temples in Bombay, each burning around one ton of wood every month the BPP would have to allow for anywhere between 250 to 1,000 kg of ash each month, or 3,000 to 12,000 kg per annum. How would this affect the ecology of the 50 to 55 acre Doongerwadi estate with its fragile ecosystem?
At present two agiaries, Ashburner and Aslaji, and one atash behram, Dadysett are reportedly availing of this facility.
Dr Rashneh Pardiwala, co-founder and trustee of the Centre for Environmental Research and Education says the BPP requested "me for a preferable location. I only requested them to keep it away from the main forest area which they did... I have seen the location of the ash pit. It is located near the car park and far from the dense forest surrounding the dakhmas.
"The ash is being placed in a pit and not being scattered on the forest floor so it should not harm the ecology of the forest being in one fixed, small but deep pit. Once full, the pit will be covered up with soil.
"During the monsoon season, there may be some leaching into the soil but I doubt it will adversely impact the larger forest.”
As regards the ash from cremated bodies, they generally constitute about 3.5% of the individual’s original body weight. For adults, this typically ranges between four to six pounds (1.8 to 2.7 kg), with ashes averaging around six pounds for men (2.7 kg) and around four pounds (1.8 kg) for women.
Cremated ashes primarily comprise bone fragments that have been processed into a fine powder. While they are not hazardous or toxic, their environmental impact depends on how they are handled and where they are dispersed.
Cremated remains have a high pH level and elevated sodium content, which can be detrimental to plant life. When ashes are buried or scattered directly into the soil, these properties can inhibit plant growth and soil health. In some cases, cemeteries have observed that areas where ashes are buried show poor vegetation health.
Scattering ashes in bodies of water is a common practice. While ashes do not dissolve, they disperse into the water. It is essential to follow local regulations and guidelines to ensure that this practice does not harm aquatic ecosystems.