Walking into a room of coffins is a strange experience, and nobody arrives at it prepared. Families often stand there for a long time because they are afraid of choosing wrongly — as though there were a wrong choice.
There is not. But there are four decisions, and taking them in order makes the whole thing far shorter and far calmer.
1. The measurement
Height and build. That is the whole of it, and it is the one thing that genuinely constrains the choice, so it comes first. Tell us on the phone and we will tell you which sizes are on the floor at Payyampally and at Chennalode before anyone travels.
Compact and child sizes are held in stock. Oversize and extra-length can be made and delivered quickly — but only if we know early, so say it on the first call.
2. Open or closed
If the face is to remain visible while the body rests at the house, you want a coffin with a glass viewing panel at the head. The panel section lifts clear for the final rites.
If the coffin will stay closed, that constraint disappears and the plain and carved ranges are both open to you. This decision is usually made by how the family wants the visitation to feel, and it is worth asking the eldest people in the house rather than deciding alone.
3. Wood, finish, ornament
This is where cost mostly moves, and it is entirely the family's call. No range here is more respectful than another. A plain coffin carried by six people who loved the person is not a lesser funeral.
- Plain hardwood — clean lines, light polish, a cross on the lid. The most commonly chosen, and entirely appropriate for any parish funeral.
- Pale teak or natural finish — restrained, lighter to carry, sits well in a bright church.
- Deep-polished rosewood or mahogany — darker, heavier presence.
- Hand-carved — garland and vine work, the most workshop hours, the finest finish.
4. The fittings, which mostly come with it
The processional cross, the lining and pillow, the handles, the name plate, the candles and the floral work go out with the coffin. You are not assembling a funeral from separate parts; you are choosing a coffin and the rest follows it.
On cost
We give a clear figure on the phone before anything is arranged, and nothing is added to it afterwards. No family should be working out on the day of a funeral what a bill is going to come to.
If the figure for a range is more than the family can carry, say so plainly. There is always something appropriate at a different price, and being asked about it does not embarrass anyone here.
