Thiruvananthapuram Corporation

It was in the year 2005 that the then first lady of Thiruvananthapuram City Professor Chandra decided to give justice to the souls which accompanied the human body, the greatest creation of the creator then resolved unanimously to bring out a project changing this concept of the Thycaud Crematorium. The noble job was entrusted with the M/s. Kumar group. A natural water fall was envisaged in the original project around the Mandapam where the last rituals were done depicting the Ganga River on the head of Lord Siva who is actually the cremator according to Hindu Mythology. The skeleton of the concept was set but unfortunately the mother could not get the project implemented since she was out of power.

It was then the worshipful Mayor of Trivandrum City Sri.Jayanbabu came into the picture for giving flesh and blood to the noble project. After hectic discussion the project costs was reduced by erasing the natural water fall in the original project. The project cost was estimated at Rs.3 crores and fortunately he was able to get a small portion of the money from the Government of Kerala through the Capital region development Programme amounting to a tune of Rs.1.75 crores and we were only availed 66 lakhs.

The project then took wings and tenders were floated. Working at estimate rates for such heavenly project is very difficult. The worshipful Mayor using all his influences got hold of a contractor and forced to take up the endeavor. A contractor named Mr.Tilakan decided to take up this work but he was not actually aware of one thing that he had taken a very noble work for the human kind in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation.

The total land area comes to 250 cents and the built in area comes to 5000m2. The various components envisaged in the project were.

The main crematorium building named the Shanty Kava dam housing two electric furnaces and a reserve place for putting up another furnace.
An RCC roof cladded with tiles of the Kerala Model open on all sides with walls cladded with black granite and floor laid with cut granite rough stones. The open hall depicts the soul is free to leave the body from whichever side it prefers and there is a green carpet embedded with best quality Turfing grass for the souls to rest upon and witness the most holy function on this earth i.e. the crematorium of the Panchabhoothangal in a serene environment envisaging that souls are forever just as diamonds are forever.
The cremation of the body is done in the electric furnace (2 Nos.) installed by the company named Essco Furnaces Pvt.Ltd incorporating the best technique of total combustion carried out in the primary and secondary combustion chamber. It takes about one and half to two hours for the samharam of the body to Bhasmam. The same Bhasmam is collected in urns. The samharam is done by man in blue with the help of powerful electricity just like the eye of Lord Shiva on his forehead.
The Bhasmam in urns are handed over to the empowered women of the marvelous kudumbasree dressed in blue working side by side with men. The speciality of the women is that wherever they are placed they always have the touch of the mother. Just like a mother keeping her baby in her womb the Kumbasree woman keep the urns in caskets taking great care like keeping it in the mother’s womb. The same is handed over to the relatives to conduct more rituals in holy temples rivers or seas. The rich heritage of India is being preserved by these mothers and sisters who had eradicated and converted poverty into wealth. Hats off for these ladies. In this process they play an important part in taking a motherly care in the collection, storage and handing over the ash to their relatives which is purely converted to wealth i.e. the soul.
There is another hall to accommodate the instruments of the soul two bodies at a time to perform their last ritual without creating unpleasant situations, since this is a heavenly ritual. The flooring is with vitrified tiles.
There is an electric panel room and a separate transformer since the samharam of a body is by the Thandavam of Lord Shiva which is very powerful. Similar to the transformer which step up the power as per the requirement.
There is a walkway floored with cut granite rough stones with green carpet on both sides suitably lighted with imported green bodied lights.This resembles the green meadows of God’s Own Country. The greenness again depicting that souls are Chiranjeevees. The spot is called the Smrithi Mandapam also of the Kerala model with black granite tiles floored and cladded showing the soberness and sadness of the one’s relatives to the soul. There is another replica building to accommodate more people during the time prayers in the Smrithi Mandapam. There we have wall mounted LCD TV in conjunction with a computer. Here also the mothers or sisters touch is there. Can you guess who? The same empowered woman of Kudumbasree are here to be part of remembering and consoling the souls by their once loved ones. The joy of the souls know no bounds to know and feel that they are not forgotten by their once loved ones even after the long lapse of time since their demise from the earth.
A parking area with cobble stones paving is provided for the vehicles of humanbeings adjacent to the Smrithimandapam just as the green parking area for the once vehicle of the human body, that is the sole is green for ever and cannot be destroyed.
During the cremation a lot of gases and particles are emitted. Due justice is given to the atmosphere ultimately to human being, animals, plants etc. but providing a eco-friendly affluent treat plant. The plant comprises of the following components.
- There us a scrubber unit tank. From the tank the effluent goes to another tank. In this tank Sodium Hypochlorite is added into the effluent. The effluents are disinfected and neutralized. After this treated effluent goes to a settlement chamber and then to the soak pits.
- The heavy particulates emitted from the burning bodies with the gas goes to a tower tank where the heavy particles settle. The affluent gas goes to a wet scrubber system (Venturi Wet Scrubber) Then it passes through the wet scrubber tower system. Hence the soluble emissions and fine particulates matter are also removed. The mist(remains water) is passed through 30 metres height chimney. The gases going out of the chimney is within the pollution Control Limit.
- The average quantity of water consumption per day for the plant is 50 litre. Which is actually the back up water in the plant. The tank for 15 days consumption i.e.6500 liters is incorporated in system.
A comfort station is also provided in the premises for the public.
There are conventional type crematorium working side by side with the electric crematorium using Agni as the Saakshi. The renovation work of this unit has been done since we are always of the opinion “Old is Gold”.
All these mostly monuemental buildings are protected by an all round compound wall with cast iron gates at the exits and entrance

The total cost for this project is 3 crores the work commenced on 19th October 2006 and completed on 25th August 2007. The Worshipful Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation Sri. Jayanbabu is always longing for projects with unique concepts. This is one of its kind at its best because there is always substances in the subject as a poet wrote “ATHMA VIDHYALAYAME AVANIYIL ATHMA VIDHYALAYAME”

I would like to request the audit department “let thy swords have a mother’s touch on such unique projects” coming from heaven. Last but not the least the Corporation of Thiruvananthapuram thank the Government of Kerala for their whole hearted corporation is rendering moral support and a small financial assistance to this prestigious projects and further more the Government of Kerala may please have a fatherly touch for the sustainability of the project . Since the running cost is very high because this is a service oriented project. Details of time of Functioning and Various Fees are as given below.

Smrithi Mandapam
Fee for using the Smrithi Mandapam for prayer and using L.C.D T.V FACILITIES Rs.300/- function

Mobile Mortury Van Rs1500/-per day (24Hrs) + Rs 150/- Per each hours after the 24 hours.