108-year-old woman’s final farewell in Fazilka turns into a celebration of her life

Fazilka: A unique farewell for a 108-year-old woman in Fazilka has drawn attention after her family chose to celebrate her long life rather than mourn her death in the traditional manner.
According to the family, the woman passed away on August 27 after being unwell for around a week. She had lived for 108 years and had seen the fourth generation of her family.
More than 75 family members gathered after her death. Her bier was decorated with balloons, while drums were played from her home to the cremation ground. Family members also burst crackers and performed bhangra during the procession.
Family fulfilled her final wish
The family said the woman had expressed a wish that she should be given a farewell with drums and dancing rather than a conventional mourning procession.
Her family fulfilled that wish, dancing to the beat of drums as they accompanied her to the cremation ground.
Family members said that after her husband’s death, she had taken responsibility for raising the family herself and worked hard to support them. She regularly encouraged younger family members to work hard and earn their livelihood.
Although her eyesight had weakened with age, her hearing remained strong. Family members said she could recognise them simply by their voices.
A family member also said that their grandmother had died around a year earlier at the age of 106, while the woman who passed away this week had lived for around two years longer.
The family described the farewell as a way of respecting her wishes and celebrating a life that spanned more than a century.