An Indian crematorium is planning to give grieving but time-strapped relatives the chance to send their dear departed into the next world via live webcast.

The funeral establishment in Baroda hopes to offer the new service by next June. It will allow friends and family to watch cremations from the comfort of their own homes, and will further offer the opportunity to post condolence messages and chat to other mourners online.

Website architect Jagdish Thakkar told Reuters: "There are a lot of relatives who live abroad or even in other parts of the country, who cannot attend funerals. Through webcasting all of them will be able to see and share their grief in virtual space."

The site is not yet go, but will reportedly live at www.mokshadham.org - a Sanskrit name meaning "abode of salvation". ®

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