“If we can keep framed photographs at home after someone’s death, why not a statue?”
These were the words of Tapas Sandilya, a retired government worker who made headlines in India for honouring his late wife’s wishes to be immortalized through a life-sized silicone doll of herself, after she passed in 2019 due to Covid-19, to be left on her favourite swing in her house.
Sandilya says that they got the idea after visiting the Iskcon temple in Mayapur a good 10 years ago.
He said that his wife was so amazed by the realistic statues in the temple that she told Sandilya about her request in case she passes away before him.
Sandilya also said that when he told his family about it, they greatly opposed it, but eventually they accepted the idea.
When Sandilya’s wife passed away, he was not allowed to be with her during her final hours as he had to isolate. Because of this, Sandilya said that he wanted to do right by his wife by fulfilling one of her wishes when she was still alive.
This prompted him to spend months, as well as a few thousand dollars, on bringing his wife back to life in the form of a silicone doll.
You can check out the video of his story below:
