The pandemic has caused a conspicuous ascent in mortality rates all around the globe and

employs an anomalous challenge to the public health. Scientists are baffled with the rate at
which the virus is spreading across the country, one of the epicentres of the epidemic. As the
number of deceased lined up waiting to get cremated increases exponentially, the elaborate
tradition of honouring the dead have all been discarded. Crematoriums which once lit their
furnaces thrice a month have recorded burning of over a hundred bodies on a monthly basis.
The loads on the crematoria have increased exponentially because of the ever-rising death tolls
which hit 4,44,000.
Mumbai being a polyglottic metropolitan that makes merry on festivities together is in need of a
crematorium that caters to its diverse ethnic population without pressurizing the already
exhausted land. If one were to look at Mumbai from a religious perspective, it wouldn’t be
surprising to see that there is no ethno-religious boundary cutting across the residing population.
The current scenario of burial grounds is a consequence of increased societal taboo associated
to death in this modernized world. These realms have been reduced to separate, lifeless spaces
where the entire process of cremation has been reduced to a mere set of tasks to be completed.
The goal of the paper was to arrive at a sustainable strategy to design a humanist green funeral
home which brings together people from all walks of life, honour death than treating it as a taboo
subject and most importantly, advocate methods to replenish flora and fauna of the proposed site
and its surroundings. Existing projects around the globe were examined in sets of two to
comprehend building level and site level approaches in both Indian and international context
which was later analysed to understand integration of sustainability factors into the projects.
Major design governing factors such as materials, daylight and wind were analysed to
understand their roles in creating an emotionally rich narration in the space without
monumentality. Site charting and future projections were thoroughly evaluated to study the
feasibility determining factors such as urban sprawl and human settlement. Sustainability
development goals such as Climate action, Sustainable cities and communities and Peace,
justice and strong institutions are also addressed in the proposal.
Proposal of green burial practices like Capsula Mundi would not only help preserve natural areas
but also conserve resources, prevent fertile lands from desertification and help eliminate use of
hazardous embalming chemicals. The burial practice could be approached in two non-
conventional ways- one where a small biodegradable urn is used to hold ashes after cremation
or using a larger one to bury the body entirely after positioning it in a fetal stance. These urns will
then be planted with a local variety of tree above it which will then later be buried in the burial
ground. This practice would help replenish flora and fauna unlike a conventional burial ground
where the land turns to a wasteland. The trees chosen for burial would pose as a monument for
the dead and a legacy for posterity and future of the planet. The outlook of crematories will take
on a drastic new look, transforming from the bleak greys to vibrant woodlands which can be later,
cared for by the family members.