In the last five years, at least 250 mock cremations have been staged by those in the business of protests. From small-time leaders of parties like Shiv Sena and local outfits like Kranti Shiv Sena to astrologers-turned-social activists, the protestors have organised mock cremations of many. Forget political leaders, even film stars like Rani Mukherjee and Hema Malini, have not evaded their reach.

While Rani Mukherjee’s mock cremation was staged last year at the riverside cremation ground of Harischandra Ghat to protest her misconduct with scribes during shooting of Laga Chunari Mein Daag, Hema Malini’s effigy was burnt on a funeral pyre to protest against her anti-North Indian remarks. The latest in the saga of mock cremations was on December 8, when the West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya entered the lists. The “ceremony” was organised by the saffron brigade, led by astrologer Lakshman Das against his reported utterances on Lord Ram and Ram Setu.

In the era of event managers, even this eerie form of protest is being arranged by those who have been making a livelihood by arranging real life cremations at Harishchandra Ghat. “Give us just 15 minutes and everything — from artificial corpse to full-fledged pyre and even the man who would give mukhagni to the effigy — will be arranged.” said Pawan Chowdhary, who organises cremations at the Ghat.

“We can even arrange for protestors to attract the attention of visual media. Like any other event manager, we too have different packages. The cost mostly ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 1,200. The more real you want the cremation to get, the more you have to shell out,” he added. Take the case of mock cremation of the West Bengal CM. They had not only to provide the priests and the cremation material, but also arrange the man for mukhagni. “There was even a barber who shaved the man performing the mukhagni,” said Bahadur Chowdhary, who belongs to the community of domraja (cremation ground owner).

Lakshman Das, the astrologer who led members of Ram Setu Raksha Manch to perform the mock cremation of the Bengal CM, said: “It is the most Indianised form of protest, especially against people like Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, whose soul has become dead. We could also have gone onto post-cremation ceremonies like Dashwa and Trayodashah, but our message was picked up by television channels.”