What rites are done when an infant or young child dies?

the rites are much simpler and shorter; very young infants are often buried, and the parents' grief comes first.

The texts treat the death of a small child differently from an adult's. A child is seen as pure, not bound by worldly karma in the same way, so the long chain of preta rites is not required. Traditionally, infants up to about two years were buried or immersed rather than cremated, with no long sūtak; for older children the rites are shorter than for adults. Customs vary a great deal by region and community, so follow your family priest.

What matters most now is the parents. Grief for a child is among the heaviest a person can carry, and no ritual detail should add to it. A lamp, a simple prayer, chanting God's name together and quiet time as a family are fully enough.

Many families later remember the child by feeding other children, giving to a children's hospital or planting a tree. Please lean on others, and seek a counsellor if the grief feels too heavy.

Source: Manusmṛti ch. 5; Garuḍa Purāṇa; regional custom

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