The Final Farewell, is an attempt to decode death, as the author explores the nuances of the last rites in Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Sikhism. It is a valuable book because it gives followers of each religion an insight into the meanings behind their rituals, which most people tend to perform mechanically. One also gets an idea of the rituals of other religions, creating an opportunity to evoke empathy and under- standing of other religions, especial- ly at a time of grave communal polarisation in the world.