Former Air Force veteran in Bihar holds his own funeral to witness ‘how people honor me’
Gaya (Bihar): A 74-year-old former Indian Air Force veteran, Mohanlal, from Konchi village in Guraru block of Gaya district, organised and attended his own funeral procession while still alive.
Mohanlal was carried on a flower-adorned bier to the local cremation ground as band music played and people chanted “Ram Naam Satya Hai.” The atmosphere was accompanied by the tune of “Chal ud ja re panchhi, ab desh hua begana” playing in the background.
Hundreds of villagers attended the procession after Mohanlal personally invited them. Upon reaching the cremation ground, he rose from the bier, and a symbolic effigy was burned in his place. The rituals were conducted according to traditional customs, and the ashes were later immersed in a nearby river. A communal meal was also organised for all attendees.
Explaining his decision, 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.
Known for his social contributions, Mohanlal had earlier used his pension to construct a well-equipped cremation ground after observing the difficulties villagers faced during cremations in the rainy season. Villagers described his initiative as a source of inspiration for the entire community.
Mohanlal has two sons, Dr. Deepak Kumar, a doctor based in Kolkata, and Vishw Prakash, a school teacher, along with a daughter, Gudiya Kumari, who lives in Dhanbad. His wife, Jeevan Jyoti, passed away 14 years ago. Mohanlal continues to use his pension to support local social causes.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Unemployed 'youngsters like cockroaches' become media, activists; attack system: CJI
New Delhi (PTI): Likening some unemployed youngsters to cockroaches, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant on Friday said they go on to "become" media, social media and RTI activists and start attacking the system.
The comments came while a bench of CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was pulling up a lawyer for "pursuing" a senior advocate designation. It said there were already "parasites" in society who attack the system and asked the petitioner whether he wanted to join hands with them.
"The entire world may be eligible to become senior (advocate), but at least you are not entitled," the bench told the petitioner lawyer.
A visibly anguished CJI observed that if the Delhi High Court would confer senior advocate designation upon the petitioner, the apex court would set that aside seeing his professional conduct.
The CJI also referred to the kind of language used by the petitioner on Facebook.
"There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them?" he said.
"There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone," he said.
The bench also asked the petitioner whether he did not have any other litigation.
"Is this the conduct of a person who seeks to be designated as a senior advocate?" the bench asked.
It said senior advocate designation is something that is conferred on a person and is not to be pursued.
"You are pursuing it. Does it look proper?" the top court said, asking whether a senior advocate designation was a status symbol to be kept ornamentally.
It also observed that it wanted to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to verify the degrees of many of those who were wearing black robes as there were serious doubts over the genuineness of their degrees.
It said the Bar Council of India would never do anything on this issue as they "need their votes".
The petitioner apologised to the bench and sought permission to withdraw the petition. The bench allowed the withdrawal of the petition.
