The noblest profession of all...

There aren't many people in this world who would go near corpses. Mostly an undertaker's job was always considered as a man's by default. But now, times have changed. In an ironic twist, an Indian woman has almost won an 'equal rights' issue by donning the undertaker's robe. Coimbatore's Gomathi Ammal is one such example - a living message that women too, can be soft as well as daring as the occassion demands.

The last destination, in the journey of life is death. We who are born will never know the mystery of when we are going to die, how and where. So many traditions grace our lives from birth to the end. People strongly believe that chants and prayers are necessary for any spirit to make its transition form the world of living to the dead.

So readying the dead person's body for his final journey is almost always a serious and solemn affair. One that is attended to with the most diligence. Gomathi Ammal, 66 years old, does it all with panache. She lives in Ponniarajapuram, a suburb of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. She is the only woman in India who has boldly ventured where others feared to tread. Just a call is the only trouble that the dear departed's relatives or friends are expected to undergo. The rest of the day belongs to Mrs.Gomathiammal.

Within moments, the lady arrives in a wellstacked van along with two other helpers. It amazes you no end to see her doing even the most awkward jobs that even family will feel delicate to perform. She bathes the cadaver/corpse, clothes it, decks it with garlands, shifts it to the van and carries it away to the cremation ground where she also chants a few words following which is the most difficult job, cremating it. But she does all that without even the slightest tinge of disgust. On her face only compassion is registered.

Gomathi Ammal has been married for almost forty-five years now. She has a daughter named Karpagam, who is 35 years old. Balasubramanian, Gomathi Ammal's husband deserted her when she was just twenty years old. It was then that the true fighter in Gomathi Ammal ventured out. Fearing the worst for her baby girl, she took after her father, Ganapathi Iyer who was an undertaker at that time.

Occupational hazards? "Depressed relatives of the dead, who get drunk, and create a scene in front of everybody" she smiles. Her charges range from about Rs.3000 to Rs.5000. If the family is strapped for money, she gladly lowers her charges. When asked her about her monthly salary, we get a disturbing reply. "One month it is more than Rs.5000, the next month there will be nothing". In the beginning, people called her corpse-carrier and relatives shied away from her.

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