Bijay Pandey’s last rites performed amidst tears

COLORADO:- “Wake up, son; Baba and I have come all the way from Nepal to see you.” These are the cries of his mother, Sangita, uttered in a semi-conscious state during the final funeral rites for her son.

Amidst a flood of tears and his mother Sangita’s semi-conscious grief, the final cremation ceremony for 18-year-old Bijay Pandey—who had come to America harboring dreams of a bright future—was held in Colorado today.

The funeral rites for Bijay Pandey, who died in a road accident on August 29, were held after his parents arrived in Colorado from Nepal.

Bijay, the eldest son of Ganesh Prasad Pandey and Sangita Pandey from Biruwa in Nepal’s Syangja district, had arrived in Colorado only about eight months prior. He was involved in a road accident on the night of August 29 while returning to his residence after finishing work.

The parents, having lost the support of their old age following the news of their son’s untimely demise, had arrived in Colorado from Nepal. Family members, relatives, friends, and members of the Nepali-speaking community in Colorado attended the memorial and funeral services.

During the funeral rites, Vijay’s mother, Sangita Pandey, was repeatedly overcome with emotion. She repeatedly kissed her son’s cheek before collapsing in a faint. The sight of her expressing her love for her son one last time deeply moved everyone present. Similarly, his younger brother, Aryan Pandey, could not hold back his tears before his brother’s body. The scene of him bidding a final farewell while washing his brother’s face with his tears was deeply poignant.

Bijaya’s father, Ganesh Prasad Pandey, performed the principal rites for his son’s final cremation in accordance with Hindu religious customs and traditions. After completing religious rituals such as *Pinda-daan* (offering of rice balls) and the ceremonial lighting of the pyre, he activated the switch of the electric crematorium to conclude the final cremation of his son, Bijaya.

Pandit Rupnath Bhattarai and Pandit Chudaprasad Neupane conducted the necessary religious rituals in accordance with Hindu traditions and customs.
Representatives from various organizations in Colorado, social activists, intellectuals, community members, relatives, and well-wishers attended the cremation ceremony. The attendees expressed their sorrow over Vijay’s untimely passing and offered their condolences to the bereaved family.

At the event, social worker Nandalal Neupane provided a brief overview of the tragic incident.

Vijay had come to the United States with the dream of building a future for himself and his family through hard work, a journey he had undertaken from a young age. However, a road accident shortly after his arrival brought his life’s journey to a premature end.

His untimely passing has caused deep anguish to his family, relatives, friends, and the Nepali community in Colorado. For the family, this is not merely a funeral service but an incredibly painful moment to bid a final farewell to their beloved son.