In PM Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi, the quest for livelihood for 33-year-old Akshat Shukla is like meeting with death in every moment of his life, literally. But he does it in style from a small funeral home located at about 500 metres from the Banaras Hindu University.
On the famous Lanka Road of the pilgrimage city, Shukla’s funeral home never fails to catch the attention of all passers-by, especially the curious youngsters who are more accustomed to visiting beauty or ice-cream parlours. Reason: Shukla, who runs the business along with his brother Abhishek, has named it as ‘The Funeral Parlour’.
When asked why he chose such a name for his business, the father of two told financialexpress.com on the phone from Varanasi that “only name matters at last, life ends.” There is, however, a story behind the name. Shukla said that he entered into the business of selling goods for after death rituals because of “circumstantial pressures.”
“In 2007, I had incurred huge losses in a small readymade garment business. Starting a funeral home felt like a lucrative idea as I had a big family and also my newly-wed wife to take care of,” he said, adding the name was suggested by his brother, who used to teach English to children, when they started the business. “However, we put up our signboard only last year.”
Was he afraid of any stigma attached to such business? “There is no stigma attached to life. Why should there be one for death?” said Shukla, who could study only till intermediate because of poverty and talks in chaste Hindi, like many others in the temple town.
In a city famous for its grand Hindu temples and elaborate rituals on the banks of river Ganga, the business of dealing with the requirements of the dead every day from 5 am till late in the night has made Shukla wiser and tired. He doesn’t want his children to take up the profession. “There is no life in it. Every moment is like remembering death. General people can enjoy life without thinking about death. I can’t. I wish to break free, start afresh.”