Hyderabad: It might sound strange. While we hear people earning and spending money for worldly comforts, many save a buck for a hassle-free funeral.
The many ‘anjumans’ (societies) in the city help people prepare for the funeral expenses by setting up a ‘maiyath’ (corpse) fund. A person can become a member of a society and subscribe to the benefits of the fund by paying a small amount such as Rs 50 or Rs 100 every month. In the event of his death, members of his immediate family receive a payment which is meant to be used to cover funeral expenses.
The amount depends on the monthly subscription of the member and differs from society to society. Some pay Rs 10,000 to the family of the member while others pay Rs 20,000. Some people take two memberships and in such cases, their families receive the sum paid by two different members.
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There are around 75 such societies, with 500 to 5,000 members each, currently in operation in the city and suburbs. Similar societies are run in the various districts of Telangana by the elders of the local communities.
“These were formed to help the poor in times of distress, these groups have accrued membership from people of all social strata, creed, and sects,” said Yazdani Baig who works for a society in Jahanuma.
Who are the members?
Most members are from middle and working-class families. People such as pensioners, small-time businessmen and daily-wage workers are members of our society. Apart from them, some affluent people have also become members on behalf of the underprivileged to help such families during distress.
The idea of becoming a member is that people don’t want their families to run around from pillar to post to arrange for money for burials and graveyards. To avoid it during their lifetimes, they enrol as members and contribute money to the fund. “In exchange, they are assured of a decent funeral when they kick the bucket,” said Shaik Rabbani, who runs a society at Kishanbagh.
In case of death, a person appointed by the managing committee of the group visits the house and hands over the money fixed by the association to the kin of the deceased. “Not all families have the money for funeral expenses. Some family members want to do it on their own. A few do accept the money from the society and later donate it to mosques or poor people,” says Mirza Salim Baig, who is associated with a group at Falaknuma.
