Attainment of Moksha in Kashi: A Qualitative Investigation

Abstract

Death-related beliefs and actions have changed over the course of human history.
This study is a thematic examination of people who travel to Kashi, the Hindu sacred
city, to die at the end of their lives. Pilgrims who arrive in Kashi to die anticipate a
specific spiritual recompense called moksha, which is variously interpreted as freedom
from rebirth or a good rebirth. This dissertation sought to highlight the sociohistorical
epoch defined by a profusion of scholarly literary works on death and dying, as well as
a surge in social movements trying to improve the way people die. To acquire a thorough
knowledge of the motivations for attaining Moksha, particularly in Kashi, the study
utilised a qualitative methodology. Thematic analysis has been used to dive into the
perceptions of the participants and present a comprehensive description of their
motivation. A semi-structured interview guide based on Indian and western literature
reports was employed to obtain data. After interviewing 10 people, theme saturation
was reached. Results revealed how Indian philosophical and religious notions, such as
Karma, Dharma, Atman, and the concept of rebirth, have a significant impact on
Indian perceptions of spirituality at the end of life.