§16§This book seeks to explore the changes in Tamil Hindu death practices in Singapore, brought about by external factors. In tracing the changes, we examine the politics of space in landscapes of death; where different meanings were invested in the site, bring about a conflict of interests. In pursuing development and modernization, policies were introduced by the state and community representatives were also employed to rationalize state policies in prioritizing land space for the living over the dead, and consequently led to the stealthy switch from burial practices to cremation in disposing the dead. These changes in funeral practices have altered and shaped the conception of it in contemporary society, making space for customization of rituals, yet reinforces the identity and norms of the Tamil Hindu community.
