A Life Transformed by Tragedy
Most women her age focus on marriage, careers, or family planning. Pooja Sharma spends her days cremating unclaimed dead bodies. This remarkable woman from Shahdara, Delhi, holds a master's degree in social work. She previously worked as an HIV counsellor at a government hospital.
Pooja was simultaneously pursuing an LLB degree during that period. She dreamed of becoming a judge one day. Her life followed a stable, predictable path until March 13, 2022. Everything changed completely on that terrible day.
The Day That Shattered Everything
Pooja witnessed her brother's brutal murder following a petty argument. Nobody came forward to help as he was shot dead. She rushed him alone to GTB Hospital. Doctors declared him brought dead upon arrival.
"The moment my father heard the news, he fainted and slipped into a coma," Pooja recalls. Her mother had already passed away in 2019 due to a brain hemorrhage. Overnight, Pooja found herself completely alone. Her father remained unconscious, her grandmother was in shock, and her brother was gone forever.
A Sacred Turning Point
Standing alone before her brother's funeral pyre, something inside Pooja shattered permanently. "Life presented itself in a form I had never imagined," she says. That moment marked a deep and irreversible turning point in her existence.
"But perhaps something else was ordained for me," she reflects thoughtfully. After her brother's murder, she took responsibility for performing his last rites herself. This task traditionally falls to male family members in Indian society.
On March 15, she visited the cremation ground to collect her brother's ashes. There, she saw a Shivling, held it tightly, and cried uncontrollably for hours. "I don't know what happened to me. I rubbed the ashes all over my body," she confesses.
A Life-Altering Decision
That powerful moment led to a life-altering decision. Pooja resolved to help perform last rites for unclaimed dead bodies. "Had my brother died elsewhere, he might not have received a dignified farewell," she explains with conviction.
Her chosen path came at significant personal cost. Pooja had been in a seven-year relationship with an Army commando. They became engaged in 2018. When a video of her at the cremation ground surfaced online, her fiancé objected strongly.
He called her an 'aghori' and worried about social perception. "I broke off the engagement," Pooja states without hesitation. "I chose seva," she says simply, using the Hindi word for selfless service.
Financial Sacrifices for Service
To sustain her work, Pooja made substantial financial sacrifices. She sold her mother's jewellery and her brother's scooter. She even mortgaged her family home to continue her mission.
"I will always regret selling these pieces of memory, but I had no choice," she admits with visible emotion. Despite these challenges, she continues fighting for justice for her brother's murder. "That is what I pray to God for," she says earnestly.
Spiritual Transformation
"God gives you everything, but becoming Bhole's devotee gives you vairagya-freedom from material bonds," Pooja explains about her spiritual journey. Over the years, she has encountered experiences that defy logical explanation.
She recounts performing last rites for a young man who died by suicide. His family refused to claim his body. Forgetting to collect his ashes, she later dreamt of him asking, "Didi, why didn't you take me?"
She immediately contacted a priest, located the remains, and immersed them in Haridwar. "Nothing like this has happened again," she adds, "but it was completely real."
Dispelling Myths and Fears
Despite common myths surrounding cremation grounds, Pooja dismisses them confidently. People talk about open hair, perfumes, or spirits causing problems. "These are just beliefs," she states firmly.
"My day begins at the shamshan. I rest there and eat my food in the cremation ground. I have never felt fear or encountered anything supernatural," she declares without hesitation.
Facing Political Pressure
When an article about her work appeared in The Guardian, powerful political figures targeted her. "I was detained at my own Mahila Ashram by dozens of police officers. They had nothing against me, but I felt afraid," she reveals about the incident.
Asked how she manages to touch dead bodies daily, Pooja answers quietly. "I don't know what changed inside me. I used to be afraid of lizards. If someone died in the neighbourhood, I wouldn't sleep for days."
"Today, my mornings begin with death calls, mortuaries, and hospitals, and I am at peace. This work has become part of my life," she explains with remarkable calmness.
Sharing Her Journey
Pooja Sharma shares glimpses of her daily life on her Instagram account. She openly discusses her personal tragedy and the strength she derived from it. For her, death is no longer an ending. It has become a sacred responsibility.
Creating the Bright Soul Foundation
What began as personal grief gradually transformed into a larger commitment. Pooja established the Bright Soul Foundation to serve those abandoned by society. This organization supports people suffering from HIV/AIDS, rape survivors, and women battling serious illnesses.
The foundation helps individuals with cancer, brain tumours, tuberculosis, and other life-threatening conditions. Pooja works with people often denied dignity in both life and death. These include individuals rejected by families, shunned by communities, or left without support systems.
Comprehensive Support Services
Her work extends far beyond medical aid. The foundation offers emotional care and performs last rites for the unclaimed. It provides a sense of human presence where there is usually none. Pooja's service is not driven by recognition or ideology.
It comes from lived experience and quiet resolve. Having stood alone at the cremation ground once, she ensures that nobody else faces that terrible solitude again. Her journey continues to inspire many across Delhi and beyond.
