Indian family shocked as life-size replica of dead relative appears at gathering

Parents ordered silicone model after son was killed in motorbike accident at age of 21

S Pandidurai, centre, who was 21 when he was killed in a motorbike accident. To cope with the grief, his family had a silicone statue made, left and right. Picture: courtesy Priya Lakshmi

An Indian man made a surprise appearance at a family function on Sunday — two years after his death in a road accident.

Shocked guests found S Pandidurai smiling broadly and wearing a veshti, a traditional unstitched cloth-wrap and shirt, as family friends were welcomed into his home in Tamil Nadu in southern India.

But friends and family members were in reality looking at a silicone replica of the young man.

Pandidurai was 21 when he was killed in an accident while driving a motorbike in June 2020.

Unable to cope with the grief, his bereaved parents ordered a silicon statue to fill the void in the house.

They wanted him to be a part of a traditional ear-piercing ceremony for his niece and nephew, whom he was fond of.

On Sunday, Pandidurai’s replica not only attended the ritual but niece Thairka Shri and nephew Monesh Kumaran sat on his lap — as is the local custom.

“It is difficult to live without him. My son wanted to be present for his sister's children’s ear-piercing … he wanted them to sit on his lap,” S Pasumkizhi, 42, told The National.

“Seeing him there fulfilling his duty as the uncle surely brought us tears of joy.”

S Pandidurai was killed in a road accident two years ago. Photo: Priya Lakshmi

The family contacted artists in neighbouring Karnataka state months after his death and gave them 10 photos to produce a replica at a cost of 500,000 rupees ($6,500).

After nearly two years of waiting, with the process delayed because of the pandemic, the statue, weighing about 50 kilograms, was brought home last week in the family car.

It was later carried to the event venue in a grand style in a horse-drawn chariot, with Thairka and Monesh sitting on its lap.

“Though we ordered the life-size statue within two months of his death, it took more than a year to make it. But I am happy we could fulfil his dream,” his sister Priya Lakshmi told The National.

The family has placed the statue in the living room of the house in front of the television.

“He loved watching TV. We used to talk to his photographs but now we can talk to his statue,” Ms Lakshmi said.