"I heard that there is a river where the dead people's ashes are taken to?"

"It is not necessarily one river, any river will do. But true, people's ashes are taken to a nearby river. And there is one river which is very popular destination for this, called Ganga. Now it has become very dirty since it is being used for several purposes which pollute it."

 

"The eldest son gets the head shaved if any of the parents die?"

"He is also usually the one who lights the pyre."

 

"..."

I wanted to avoid these scattered questions as they would not leave a fair impression of such practices, so I tried to steer the conversation the other way round. I said, "I hear, and actually see in person, that not many people claim religion in here."