The rituals prescribed in Dharmic religions after the death of a human being, for his or her peace and ascent to heaven are:

• Niravapanjali is a sacred ritual in Hinduism where after the cremation rites, the ashes are ceremonially immersed in holy water by the closest relatives, so that the soul may rise to heaven. In Hindu mythology, king Bhagiratha performed a tapasya to bring down the river Ganga upon earth, so that he could immerse the ashes of sixty thousand of his slain ancestors in her sacred waters.

• Tarpana is a sacred ritual whereupon the closest relatives make a sacred offering to the Gods so that the departed soul may enter Swarga. In Hindu mythology, the Great Parasurama offered a tarpana for his father Jamadagni with the blood of his father's killer.

The ceremonial offerings varies across the spectrum of Hindu society. These cermonies also also practiced in Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism.