Indian Air Force veteran Mohan Lal – a popular member of the community for his charity work – staged his own funeral in Konchi, Gaya to see how many people would show up
A man faked his own death so he could see how many people showed up at his funeral.
Former Indian Air Force veteran Mohan Lal conducted a social experiment, faking his own funeral in the village of Konchi in India’s Gaya district. Laying in a coffin and covered with a sheet, his body was carried towards a crematorium – all so he could see how much attention he would receive.
His experiment worked as hundreds of loved ones – who thought the 74-year-old had shifted off his mortal coil – poured into the village to wish him farewell. But just as the procession neared the crematorium, the father-of-two stood up and showed the stunned crowd he was in-fact still alive.
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He said: “After death, people carry the bier [a stand for carrying a coffin], but I wanted to witness it myself and see how much respect and affection people give me.”
After raising himself from the dead, the attendees burned an effigy instead before a communal feast was held for the whole village. Mohan had donated a crematorium to the village, so that villagers could continue the process during the rainy seasons.
These and other social contributions he’s made has made him a well-respected and popular member of the community, a resident told local media.
Back in 2023, a Brazilian man earned a far-less positive response when he dramatically staged his own send-off for the same reason. Veteran funeral director Baltazar Lemos, 60, had the idea of holding a funeral for himself after being sad to conduct a service where there were only two mourners.
It got him thinking how many people would bother to turn out for him. He came up with an elaborate plan but it has backfired with people furious at the way he played games with them.
First he posted a photo on Facebook of himself outside Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo and then the following day he announced on social media that he had died.
A post read: “Early on this sad afternoon, Baltazar Lemos left us. More information coming soon.” It logically left many friends and family in shock, who had not been aware that he was unwell.
He then organised his own service at a chapel in Curitiba, Brazil, on January 18 with details of the service announced on his social media page.