Actor-comedian Vir Das took to social media on Monday to pen a heartfelt tribute following the death of his father-in-law, offering a moving reflection on grief, family, and the beautiful chaos of Indian mourning rituals.
“We lost my father-in-law this week”
In an emotional post shared on Twitter, Vir Das recounted the emotional rollercoaster of the past week.
“We lost my father-in-law this week. So we did all the things. The ICU, hospital, ambulance, cremation, Haridwar, wake, prayer meet and more.”
The comedian painted a vivid picture of how Indian families come together in the wake of loss — with urgency, emotion, and a whirlwind of tradition and chaos.
“We gather around a fire in silence”
Describing the culturally rich and complex rituals that follow a death, Das wrote, “We gather, an Indian gathering is a beautiful and chaotic thing. We gather around a body, we gather around an ambulance everyone screaming instructions, we gather around a fire in silence…”
He continued with striking imagery of loved ones coming together in grief — offering support, food, stories, and comfort, “Empty houses become full, flying in, popping by, dropping off, picking up. Non stop traffic of people coming through and trying to find things to do for you so that they can feel useful.”
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“More laughter than tears”
Despite the somber circumstances, Das reflected on the emotional duality of such gatherings, “More laughter than tears. You drink, eat, socialise, gossip, carb up and sugar up, more than you have in a decade…because someone is no longer with you.”
He ended the message on a poignant and poetic note about how the departed live on through the people they leave behind, “Then everyone goes home three kilos heavier. Maybe that’s where the people who pass go. That’s what the afterlife is. Them living on in multiple people’s bodies, three kilos a piece.”
“We lost my father-in-law this week”
In an emotional post shared on Twitter, Vir Das recounted the emotional rollercoaster of the past week.
“We lost my father-in-law this week. So we did all the things. The ICU, hospital, ambulance, cremation, Haridwar, wake, prayer meet and more.”
The comedian painted a vivid picture of how Indian families come together in the wake of loss — with urgency, emotion, and a whirlwind of tradition and chaos.
“We gather around a fire in silence”
Describing the culturally rich and complex rituals that follow a death, Das wrote, “We gather, an Indian gathering is a beautiful and chaotic thing. We gather around a body, we gather around an ambulance everyone screaming instructions, we gather around a fire in silence…”
He continued with striking imagery of loved ones coming together in grief — offering support, food, stories, and comfort, “Empty houses become full, flying in, popping by, dropping off, picking up. Non stop traffic of people coming through and trying to find things to do for you so that they can feel useful.”
Video
“More laughter than tears”
Despite the somber circumstances, Das reflected on the emotional duality of such gatherings, “More laughter than tears. You drink, eat, socialise, gossip, carb up and sugar up, more than you have in a decade…because someone is no longer with you.”
He ended the message on a poignant and poetic note about how the departed live on through the people they leave behind, “Then everyone goes home three kilos heavier. Maybe that’s where the people who pass go. That’s what the afterlife is. Them living on in multiple people’s bodies, three kilos a piece.”
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