Varanasi: In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, a man performed the last rites of his dead father with liquor, beedi and Banarasi paan. A video has surfaced online in which a man is seen offering liquor, beedi and Banarasi paan on his father’s funeral pyre at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi. The purpose behind this strange offering, he said, is to ensure that all the wishes of his deceased father are fulfilled.
In the viral video, the man was heard saying, “May none of his wishes remain unfulfilled.” The video shows the man pouring a liquor bottle after the last rites and placing beedis and Banarasi paan on the funeral pyre. Local people believe that a deceased person’s favorite food item must be offered on his funeral pyre.
वाराणसी में युवक ने पिता की चिता पर चढ़ाई शराब व बीड़ी, कहा- उनकी कोई इच्छा अधूरी न रहे जिसकी औपचारिकता पूरी की है। एक स्थानीय निवासी ने कहा कि काशी के लोग मृत्यु को भी उल्लास से मनाते हैं। #Varanasi #lastwish #मणिकर्णिका pic.twitter.com/yLXtoYFJFq
— Anchal Agrawal (@clickanchal) January 10, 2024
In Hinduism, cremation is not just a method of disposal, but a sacred rite called Antyeshti, which means “final sacrifice.” It symbolizes the liberation of the soul from the worldly limitations of the body, paving the way for its onward journey towards moksha, freedom from the cycle of rebirth.
