Sky burial or ritual dissection was once a common funerary practice in Tibet wherein a human corpse is cut in specific locations and placed on a mountaintop, exposing it to the elements or the mahabhuta and animals – especially to birds of prey. In Tibetan the practice is known as jhator, which literally means, "giving alms to the birds."
source- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_burial
I have always wanted to see how the real Sky Burial is performed in Tibet, it turned out to be a very Eco-efficient method of getting rid of what's called "the cloth" by the Tibetans. Tibetans believe that the human body is only the vehicle to build karma when the person is alive, and it is important to treat the body properly under the blessing of the monks so the person's soul would reach heaven when he/she dies.
The typical Sky Burial ground strictly prohibits filming or photography, so here's what I could recall.
The ground is based on a giant piece of rock with smooth, flat top. When you step onto the ground surface, you are (according to the monk) a step away from heaven. That's where the bodies are cut into pieces. The bodies aren't left out for the nature to take it's own course as what I would have expected, it's actually cut, smashed, and mixed with millet so the vultures could finish within a limited time (and perhaps appreciate the monks for making the healthy gourmet meal).
The three stones on the foreground are for smashing the flesh with millet to make the nice "meal". When the "meal" is prepared, the monks would place it on the large stone on the top of the drawing. I guess you could also call it a "proper family dining table". Now all they need is proper silverware.
The ceremony always takes place in the morning. The monks first bless the body with all the necessary procedures, then prepare the meal, after that they signify the birds(a type of sound the monks make) to fly down from the mountain tops and finish the ceremony.
There are several holes on the ground, all filled with bone fractures(and mutton poops). The monks told me some holes were actually created by god (they do resemble foot prints)...
At the end of the day, the family is happy that their relative has reached heaven; the vultures are happy to have gotten another great feed; the monks are happy to help a soul to find its place. There is no pollution, union problems, or over-crowed cemeteries.
It also gives a new meaning to the old expression-"For the bids".
