NOT ALL ARE EQUAL AT DEATH: A STUDY ON THE SYSTEM OF FAMILY TOMBS AMONG THE SYRO-MALABAR CHRISTIANS OF KERALA

Abstract (English)

Christians equate death with hope, a viewpoint that is rooted in the belief in the resurrection
of the body and in eternal life. Equated with this is the tradition of extravagantly conducting
death rituals, a way some people think is showing reverence to the dead. One way of doing
this, a tradition in Kerala (a southern state in India) believes is by burying their dead in the family tombs. This research
aims to explore the perspectives of Syro-Malabar Christians across occupational and
economic categories on the system of family tombs in Kerala through semi-structured, in-depth interviews.
The respondents were categorised into two based on ownership of family tombs. This
categorisation corresponded with their economic status. In this essay, the perspectives of both
groups regarding the ownership of tombs are discussed. These perspectives are further
analysed using Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of emotional capital and social space. It emerges
that emotional capital is directly related to economic capital, which in turn determines the
social space of individuals. This study thus presents a multi-layered understanding of a single
aspect; the burial of the dead. It points out contrasting viewpoints of people based on
economy and social structure.