Aryaghat is a sacred place in the cultural and religious life of Nepalese society, where people come to perform the last rites of their loved ones and pray for the peace of the departed soul.

It is the place, where the journey of life ends in silence and a deep sense of humanity takes place. But the news of corruption in this holy place has exposed how much the moral ground of the country has fallen.

Irregularities in the procurement of automatic cremation machines run by the Pashupati Kshetra Development Fund further confirm this. It is clear that the machine costing Rs 52 lakh was purchased for Rs 152 lakh and the total expenditure was Rs 1034 lakh.

In this case, the then member-secretary of the fund. It seems that such a shameful act was made possible by the connivance of Milan Kumar Thapalia, consulting company, contractor and other involved parties. This web of corruption is woven through fake bills, arbitrary assessments and misuse of government machinery. This is not just a story of irregularities in the procurement of cremation machines, it is a frightening picture of the moral decay and insensitivity of our society. In a place like Aryaghat, where people visit with tears and reverence, doing commission and business in the name of corpses is a black mark on all cultural and religious values.