A 74-year-old man from Bihar, India, left his village stunned after faking his own death and staging a full funeral just to see how many people would attend.
Mohan Lal, a retired Air Force veteran from Konchi village in Gaya district, asked his neighbors to arrange a traditional funeral procession — complete with a decorated bier, mournful songs, and ritual chants. Wrapped in a white shroud, he lay still as villagers gathered to pay their respects, believing he had actually passed away.
Hundreds reportedly attended the event, many of them emotional as the coffin was carried toward the crematorium. But just before the final rites, Lal suddenly sat up, shocking the mourners.
Explaining his bizarre decision, Lal said he wanted to witness how much affection and respect people had for him while he was still alive.
“After death, people carry the bier, but I wanted to witness it myself and know how much affection people give me,” he said.
He added that people often fail to check on others while they’re alive but shed tears once they’re gone — and hoped to remind others that love and respect for the living matter more than mourning the dead.
Lal is well-known in his community for his social work. Using his own funds, he previously built a crematorium in the village to ensure funeral services could continue even during the rainy season. He has two sons and a daughter, and his wife passed away 14 years ago.
The unusual event quickly became the talk of the village and drew attention on social media across India.
