MUAR: An  Indian deceased was laid to rest with Chinese funeral, as her family broke religious and cultural barriers by incorporating Chinese traditions in setting up a wake for three days.

The obituary was written in Chinese, banners and wreaths with Chinese characters were also seen at the wake, reflecting Malaysia’s unique spirit of multicultural harmony.

The deceased, K. Saratha, 87, who passed away on Dec 1,  was Jeghanathan (Raja)’s mother-in-law, also known as the Indian village chief by local residents.

Saratha was cremated on Dec 3.

The family also followed the Chinese tradition of giving back to society where a total of RM7,500 was donated to 25 organisations. Each organisation received a contribution of RM300.

The list of beneficiaries included three Chinese primary schools and 19 Chinese organisations, demonstrating the family’s connection with the local Chinese community.

Jeghanathan said that adopting Chinese funeral customs was not unfamiliar to him. When his mother passed away earlier this year, the family also incorporated Chinese rituals into the funeral and even had a percussion troupe.

 However, the setup in the home still followed Indian traditions.

 As such, relatives and friends did not object to the practice due to religious or cultural differences; instead, they accepted and supported it, with many Chinese neighbours and friends coming to pay their respects.

Jeganathan’s youngest daughter, 20, said that most of her father’s neighbours, friends, and business associates are Chinese.

Naturally, the family has been influenced by Chinese culture — exchanging homemade cookies during Chinese New Year, giving mooncakes during Mid-Autumn Festival, and receiving invitations to celebrate Chinese festivities.

Her eldest brother Suresh, 30, and her studied in Chinese primary school and both were Chinese literate.

Her two elder brothers and an elder sister who studied in Tamil primary school could understand Mandarin too.

Last year, Suresh had a traditional Indian wedding during the day and a Chinese-style wedding dinner at night.