Someone died at night — must we wait until morning for the cremation?

most traditions cremate after sunrise, so the body is kept with care overnight; some cremation grounds do allow night cremation.

The common view is that cremation should happen in daylight, when the sun — the witness of all actions — is present. So if a death happens in the evening or night, the family usually keeps the body at home or in a mortuary and cremates it the next morning. Kāśī's Maṇikarṇikā ghāṭ is the famous exception, where cremations go on day and night, and some city crematoriums also operate late.

Keeping vigil through the night is itself an act of love. Family members take turns sitting near the body, keep a lamp burning, and chant God's name, the Gītā, the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma or Hanumān Cālīsā. Many families do not cook during this time.

Practically, ask a funeral service about an ice box or freezer box, especially in hot weather, and inform relatives of the morning time so they can arrive.

Source: Garuḍa Purāṇa; common practice · Exception: Maṇikarṇikā ghāṭ, Kāśī

Dharma Q&A — family & life events · Ask a Jyotishi your own question