Man Offers Liquor, Beedi, Banarasi Paan To Father’s Pyre: 'May No Wish Remain Unfulfilled'

In a rather unconventional funeral ceremony at Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat, a man recently garnered attention by cremating his father with offerings of liquor, beedi and Banarasi paan. A video capturing this unique ritual has since gone viral, with mixed reactions from both locals and online communities. The man explained that his intention was to ensure the fulfilment of his father’s wishes.

The viral video depicts the son pouring a bottle of alcohol onto the funeral pyre and placing beedi and Banarasi paan alongside his father. As the flames engulfed the offerings, the man can be heard saying, “May none of his wishes remain unfulfilled.”

Meanwhile, many locals supported the man’s gesture, expressing their approval through chants of Har Har Mahadev, invoking Lord Shiva, the god of destruction and regeneration. Some residents believe in the tradition of offering the deceased’s favourite food items on the funeral pyre as a way of ensuring a smooth transition to the afterlife.

The video found its way onto social media platforms, particularly Instagram, where users shared diverse opinions. While some praised the son for his unique way of expressing love and devotion towards his father, others criticised him for deviating from established Hindu customs.

Different cultures worldwide boast diverse funeral rituals. In South Korea, the deceased’s remains are compressed into colourful gem-like beads for display at home. New Orleans adds a musical touch to death, leading funeral processions with a lively big horn band playing both sombre and upbeat tunes. The Benguet in the Philippines blindfolded the dead and positioned them near their home’s entrance.

The Tinguian people dress their departed in fine attire, seating them with a lit cigarette between their lips. The Apayo in the northern Philippines bury their dead under the kitchen. Zoroastrianism followers use bull urine for corpse washing, followed by a visit from a holy dog before placing the deceased on the Tower of Silence, where vultures swiftly consume the body. Every seven years, the Malagasy people of Madagascar exhume their loved ones’ bodies, wrapping them in cloth for a distinctive communal dance with the corpse sacks.