A 74-year-old retired Army officer from Gaya, Bihar, left everyone astonished by arranging his own funeral while being alive. Mohan Lal’s relatives and friends conducted all the traditional rituals as if he were dead. Clothed in a white fabric, he even requested others to take his “arthi” to the cremation ground. Neighbors and locals, thinking it was an actual funeral, came in large groups. But when they arrived at the cremation ground, Mohan Lal stood up suddenly and exposed that the whole ritual was fake. He did this to find out who really cared for him.
Bihar Air Force Veteran Holds His Own Funeral to See How People Would Honour Him
-74-year-old Mohan Lal staged his own funeral in Gaya, lying on a bier in a white shroud.
-Villagers joined, chanting “Ram Naam Satya Hai.”
-A symbolic effigy was cremated, followed by a community… pic.twitter.com/AwotDxoZor— Sapna Madan (@sapnamadan) October 14, 2025
Weird Viral Bihar Story
The sensational act occurred in the village of Konchi in the Gaya district. At the cremation site, Mohan Lal never burnt himself. Rather, he ignited his own “arthi” when the song ‘Chal ud ja re panchhi, ab desh hua begaana’ was going on in the background, providing a theatrical touch to the arranged funeral.
Bihar Air Force Veteran Holds His Own Funeral to See How People Would Honour Him
-74-year-old Mohan Lal staged his own funeral in Gaya, lying on a bier in a white shroud.
-Villagers joined, chanting “Ram Naam Satya Hai.”
-A symbolic effigy was cremated, followed by a community… pic.twitter.com/AwotDxoZor— Sapna Madan (@sapnamadan) October 14, 2025
Bihar Man’s False Death Act
As the procession passed through the village, the villagers cried out “Ram Naam Satya Hai,” the usual chant at Hindu funerals. After the symbolic pyre was burnt to ash, they were submerged in the river. To end the surreal affair, Mohan Lal had a feast for everyone who showed up, leaving the villagers both entertained and perplexed by the elaborate prank.
One commenter made a comparison to a comparable event overseas, stating, “In June 2023, Belgian TikToker David Baerten staged his own death to gauge his family’s love. His daughter posted on social media announcing it, and friends & family went to a fake funeral outside Liège. Baerten then popped out of a helicopter, surprising all. The prank, which he posted on TikTok, generated discussion about its emotional impact.” One other user was concerned about the role of retired servicemen and typed, “Sorry, but defense personnel should be more responsible in life.”
Mohal Lal: A Warrant Officer
Mohan Lal was a warrant officer in the Air Force before he retired. As reported by Bhaskar English, he claimed that he arranged his own fake funeral to find out who would come and pay their respects. Even after retiring, he was still dedicated to serving his village and society. Observing that cremations in his village were challenging during the rainy season, he came up with the idea of constructing a good cremation ground, or Muktidham. In order to celebrate the opening of the Muktidham, he arranged his own funeral procession to see the respect and affection people would accord. Mohan Lal stated that observing villagers join what they thought was his last journey made him very happy.
