For the parishioners of St Jude Shrine, Yoodhapuram, in Ernakulam, the death of the beloved is not just about mourning. Battling grief, they also scout for places to bury the dead. It's a mix of pain, patience and bargain.

"Our 25-year-old church does not have a cemetery of its own. We have to call up other churches to ask whether they are willing to allow a burial place, and the families have to pay a fee for it," said Father Sebastin Karukappilly. The church committee, hoping to establish its own cemetery, purchased 18 cents of land from the Pentecostal Mission 23 years ago. The plan was to build a vaulted cemetery on 2 cents and maintain the rest as a garden.

The church's move has consistently drawn opposition from the residents of Koottala in Mookkannoor Panchayat, where the proposed site is located, citing concerns over environmental and public health issues.

According to ward member Gracy Chacko, the land in question is a low-lying former paddy field. “The area is prone to severe flooding during the monsoons, often submerging roads and cutting off access to vehicles and pedestrians. Residents fear that constructing a cemetery here could contaminate drinking water sources,” she said.

“The DMO's report warns of possible leakage from the cemetery into nearby wells. Floodwaters have already caused a film to form over these wells — people fear this will worsen if a cemetery is built here,” Gracy said.

Gracy further questioned the church’s choice of location: “Why is the church pushing for a cemetery in Mookkannoor Panchayat while the church itself is located in Thuravoor Panchayat?”

Father Karukappilly defended the project. “We do not define our parish based on panchayat boundaries. Our parish stretches from Malayattoor to Nedumbassery. We followed all legal procedures to convert the paddy land," he said.

Although the panchayat had issued a NoC for the construction of a cemetery, the local body was forced to revoke the clearance following the decision of the Grama Sabha. “The church has slowly cordoned off the land with a concrete boundary. They even cremated a body there during COVID-19, and the panchayat issued a warning. We fear any leakage from a cemetery could contaminate our drinking water,” said Sijo Sebastin, a resident.

Residents and the panchayat committee members have raised complaints with various departments, including the RDO, the District Collector and have moved a petition at the Kerala High Court and even at the Nava Kerala Sadas. A recent hearing convened by the Collector was attended by residents, panchayat officials, and the ward member.

The indefinite wait for a cemetery causes the people a great deal of trouble. "Usually, when someone in our parish dies, our priest will call up other churches to ask whether they accommodate the body in their cemetery. People of that church committee might not necessarily allow, hence the church will say no. Even if they do allow, there are several issues: the distance to be travelled, the amount to be paid to the church, and other expenses," said Kishor Pappaly, a committee member of St Jude church.

He recalled a personal experience. "When my mother died, a church in Angamaly did not allow her to be buried there, even though her relatives are buried on the same ground. We had to reach out to the church in Thottakkattukara instead. Even now, I look at my mother’s resting place with a heavy heart. When we bury our loved ones in other churches, there are restrictions. We are not allowed to decorate or paint the tombs. On top of that, the expenses are much higher. Parishioners must pay a substantial fee of ₹9,000 or more to bury their loved ones in a different church. Not everyone can afford that,” he said.

In a similar case, when another parishioner's mother passed away, he didn’t have the money to cover the burial costs. Since he was part of the St Jude Church chit fund scheme, the church footed the bill. "In moments of grief, most people are not in the emotional headspace to bargain or fight over a piece of land to bury their loved ones. There’s also the added burden of arranging prayers and travelling long distances," said Kishor.