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India holds deep respect for its Armed Forces, men and women in uniform have always carried their heads high, in life and in martyrdom. But one 74-year-old retired Air Force veteran from Bihar’s Gaya district took it a step further to test if he would still be remembered, by organising his own funeral, leaving his entire village stunned.
Hundreds of villagers in Konchi attended retired officer’s Mohanlal’s funeral procession chanting “Ram Naam Satya Hai” and playing the popular Hindi movie song, “Chal ud ja re panchhi, ab desh hua begana” in the background.
Draped in a white attire, decorated with flowers, Mohanlal pretended to be dead. When his beir was carried to the local cremation ground, he rose, shocking everyone.
He then burnt symbolic effigy in his place and carried out all the customary norms, later immersing the ashes in a nearby river. He also arranged a communal meal for all attendees, which they all relished.
Speaking about the event, Mohanlal said he wanted to witness his own final journey. “When a person dies, they cannot see who attends their funeral. I wanted to experience this myself and understand how much respect and love people have for me,” he said.
Mohanlal is known for his social contributions in the village and continues to support social initiatives using his pension.
In the end, the Air Force veteran got what few ever do, a chance to attend his own funeral and return home to applause instead of ashes.
This post was last modified on October 14, 2025 7:58 pm