Chitter-Chattering in Weekly Yam-Cha Sessions

These days, one of the popular subjects of chitter-chattering during the weekly Sunday yam cha sessions is the final resting place. The conversation went on like this:

Kaki A : Have you booked your burial chamber?

Kaki B: Yes. In Row C for me and my wife.

Kaki C: Mine and my wife are in Row D.

Kaki A: In that case, I better book two nearby. By then, if I need to look for friends and kaki to yam-cha or to have a cup of coffee, I will just move over to your chamber and give you a shout!

Kaki D: Sorry, Alfred and I won't be able to join you all for yam-cha because our cremated remains will be kept in a columbarium!

That chitter-chattering was indeed humorous and funny!

Clearly, at this stage of life, talking about death and afterlife is no longer a taboo but can be a candid and laughable subject!

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The burial chambers they were talking about is at the south-western slope of BCCM KK Cemetery. Yam-cha kaki know that I have been involved with the construction of burial chambers in this cemetery for a significant period. In actual fact since 1999. 

When available land for the conventional burial utilizing the flatter ground at the cemetery was exhausted at the end of the 1990's, I decided to explore the feasibility of utilizing the unused slopes for burial purpose. The feasible option is the construction of reinforced concrete burial chambers over the slope. Construction work finally started at the north-eastern slope in 2004. After 10 years, this area was fully used up. Construction of similar burial chambers started at the south-western slope in March 2015 soon after the completion of a new access road to this part of the cemetery.

Still, there are some who have yet to accept cremation as an alternative to conventional burial. As long as there is a demand for conventional burial and no shortage of burial ground, construction of burial chambers will continue.

Taken on 19.01.2022.

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On the subject of Final Resting Place, this has always been one attraction where tourists are brought to see and spend some time. In our 2018 Eastern Europe Tour, we were taken to a cemetery for the Jews in Prague, Czech Republic (Read here). In the 2019 South America Tour, we visited the Recaleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentine where Evita Peron is interred (Read here). All these final resting places allow a glimpse of how different peoples and cultures treat the people who have departed.