Design. Death. Dignity.

The past few months have been an extremely solemn, somber period for all of us. Everyone has closely faced loss amongst their loved ones. It has been a time of deep introspection and reflection. Locked up in our homes, we could not visit our friends and families to grieve and heal together. Our News channels broadcasted harrowing visuals from across the country, day-long queues outside crematoria, abandoned bodies floating in our sacred rivers, etc… These morbid scenes will haunt our collective consciousness for a long time to come. It felt as if people were robbed of their dignity in death.

Anyone who has closely faced a death in their family, can attest to the harrowing formalities that follow. Settling hospital bills, collecting a death certificate, arranging a hearse, organizing a refrigerator for the body, booking a slot at the crematorium, negotiating with the priest, arranging a prayer meet, etc… It is a heart wrenching process that takes away from the healing process.

There are so many businesses ( products and services) built around happy occasions of life: birthday parties, proposals shoots, travel planners, marriage celebrations, baby showers, etc… But ‘Death’ remains largely a disorganized sector. One is inevitably forced to rely on our network of friends and family. Unfortunately, very few services like ‘Last Journey’ are designed to support us in our most vulnerable moments.

Death and its associated rituals pose a very delicate Design challenge. They continue to bear tremendous social stigma and sensitivity. How can we design products, services and systems around this ‘life-event’ to support grieving families? How can we offer design solutions imbued with empathy, dignity and sustainability, while playing due homage to tradition? I leave these questions to be answered…