A Japanese lady travelled to Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, carrying the ashes of her late husband to fulfil a want he had expressed earlier than his demise. Mieko Catlett reached the city in August with the ashes of Robert Catlett, who was initially from the US and had a particular reference to Bageshwar.On the Saryu River, close to Bagnath Temple, she carried out the ultimate rituals within the presence of clergymen and relations earlier than immersing his ashes within the river. The ceremony was held after conventional prayers and chanting on the riverbank. The touching story and video of her journey went viral on-line in August.For Mieko, the go to was a return to a spot she and Robert had first visited collectively in 2007. The couple had frolicked in Bageshwar, the place Robert developed a powerful reference to the city and its pure environment.
They met at a yoga camp in 2005
Robert and Mieko first met in 2005 throughout a yoga observe camp. Mieko was an English professor in Japan, whereas Robert was initially from the US. Mieko later inspired Robert to maneuver to Japan. In 2007, he moved from the US to Japan and commenced working as an English professor there. That very same 12 months, the couple visited Bageshwar. Robert launched Mieko to the city and its pure magnificence. In addition they spent a while there, creating a reference to the place that remained vital to them. In 2009, Robert and Mieko bought married and settled in Japan.
Robert died in 2022 after extended sickness
Picture Courtesy: Fb/Mieko Cartlett
Robert’s well being deteriorated in 2022. He had been present process remedy for a chronic sickness, however his situation didn’t enhance. He died of a mind haemorrhage in 2022. After his demise, Mieko continued to carry on to his want to have his ultimate rites carried out in Bageshwar. Robert had expressed a want for his ashes to be immersed within the sacred Saryu River at Bagnath Dham. Mieko finally made the journey from Japan to make sure that the want was fulfilled.
Native clergymen and guides accompanied her in the course of the ceremony
In August 2026, Mieko reached the world close to Bagnath Temple with Robert’s ashes. Native clergymen and guides accompanied her in the course of the ceremony. Conventional Vedic rituals have been carried out on the riverbank earlier than she immersed the ashes within the Saryu. The ceremony passed off close to the confluence of the Saryu and Gomti rivers, a big spiritual web site in Bageshwar.A video of the ceremony confirmed Mieko taking part within the rituals and immersing her husband’s ashes within the river. Relations have been additionally current. Prayers have been carried out within the presence of a priest earlier than the ashes have been consigned to the river. Native residents and pilgrims observed the ceremony, which grew to become a subject of debate within the space.Mieko’s journey got here almost twenty years after her first go to to Bageshwar with Robert. The city had been a part of their life collectively since 2007, earlier than their marriage in 2009 and their transfer to Japan. This time, she returned alone together with his ashes to hold out the ultimate rites he had wished for.