"Who Would Attend My Funeral?"... Indian Man Holds 'Fake Funeral' by Pretending to Be Dead

Indian Veteran Stages Fake Funeral,
Awakens Just Before Cremation...
"Cherish Each Other While Alive"

In India, a man held a "fake funeral" by pretending to be dead, then suddenly stood up just before cremation, astonishing local residents. He said, "I wanted to see who truly cared about me," and added, "I hope people cherish one another while alive, not just after death."

A man in India shocked villagers by holding his own funeral while still alive and waking up just before cremation. Image to aid understanding of the article. Pixabay

According to the Indian Express on October 15 (local time), the man at the center of the incident is Mohan Lal, a 74-year-old former army officer from Konchi village in Gaya district, Bihar, India. Lal recently held a fake funeral at "Muktidham," a cremation ground he personally established. At the time, he was lying atop a coffin, wrapped in a traditional white shroud, while hundreds of villagers gathered to pay their respects and offer condolences. The funeral procession proceeded exactly as a real one would, with residents mourning and wishing him peace with tears in their eyes.

Lal was then moved to the cremation site for the final ritual, where he lay on the funeral pyre before dramatically ending his act and waking up. The scene quickly turned chaotic, and the shocked villagers were left speechless for a while. Afterwards, a symbolic ritual was held at the cremation ground, in which an effigy representing Lal was burned, and the ashes were scattered in a nearby river. In accordance with actual funeral customs, Lal concluded the event by hosting a village feast.

"Love While Alive Is More Precious Than Tears After Death"

Explaining the reason behind staging the fake funeral, he said, "I simply wanted to see who would come to my funeral." He further explained, "People rarely check in on each other while alive, but only shed tears after someone dies." He emphasized that he wanted to convey the message that love and respect for the living are more valuable than tears shed after death.

Lal is also well known in the local community for his active social activism. In particular, he gained attention for personally establishing the village cemetery, "Muktidham," to ensure that funerals would not be interrupted even during the rainy season.