On this day in 1996... [View All]

[Earth_First]

Just after dawn on April 4, 1996 Garcia's ashes were sprinkled down the Ganges river 155 miles north of New Dehli by Deborah Koons Garcia and Bob Weir, the idea of which came to Weir in a dream. April 4 is known in India as Budh Purnima, Buddha's birthday and day of a full moon. It's also the same day the Buddha reached nirvana, the escape from the endless cycle of reincarnation. Garcia's brief ceremony initiated after the total eclipse of the moon, which took place from about 4:30 to 6:00 am.

Weir and Koons immersed themselves in the Ganges and let their garlands float away, after which followed a simple ceremony with poems, flowers and prayers. In the final moments, as his ashes were scattered into the river sending him on his way to another life, Bob Weir's farewell was the simple wish "May you have peace, Jerry, and travel to the stars.''

Jerry's remaining ashes were scattered in the San Francisco Bay on the morning of April 15, 1996.

A small gathering of friends and family listened to poems written by Mickey Hart and Robert Hunter.

Each of his closest associates and daughters released handfuls overboard, after which flowers were scattered on the water under foggy, drizzling rain.



We miss you Jer...