Odisha woman performs last rites of family-less man

Malkangiri: Shyama Haldar of Malkangiri sets an example of kindness by performing funerals of an 82-year-old man who died with no one left behind. When no one came forward to perform the death rituals of Manik Lal Ghose, Shyama lit his pyre and performed death rituals as per Vedic tradition.

After Manik Lal’s death due to cardiac arrest late night on Wednesday, some locals brought the body to cremation ground. But none of them lit the pyre till Thursday morning. Hearing about this, Shyama conducted Manik Lal’s last rites like his daughter.

Manik Lal was working with Electricity department and was staying in a rented house of Shyama. After his retirement and death of wife, Manik Lal was managing the Nigamananda Ashram located in Malkangiri town. As he had no children, Manik Lal used to tell Shyama to light his pyre after his death.

Working as Assistant Revenue Inspector, Shyama also kept her promise and performed the last rites of Manik Lal.