Tamil Nadu's 'Iron Lady' Jayalalithaa laid to rest with full state honours
Chennai: A sea of humanity bid a tearful adieu to Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa who was laid to rest right next to her mentor MGR on the majestic Marina Beach, even as impassioned cries of “Amma” filed the air.
The sea breeze and the 21 gun salute marking state honour triggered further spells of crying and chest beating by party cadres shouting puratchi thalavi amma (revolutionary leader) as they watched the ceremony on giant screens put up by the state information department.
According to the City Police and Chennai Corporation, about 2 lakh people were near the burial site and the total number of people who paid a visit to pay their last respects to the ‘Iron lady’ at Rajaji Hall could have been around 6 to 8 lakhs. The crowd swelled so much at times that the police had to use mild force to keep things under control.
Soon after the rituals were over at around 6.10 pm, the sandalwood casket containing Jayalalithaa's mortal remains was lowered into the ground in a pit located some 60 feet from the place where MGR had been lowered into the ground 29 years ago. Like mentor MGR, Jayalalithaa also had the party flag draped on her body and her trademark wristwatch on her hand. Jayalalithaa’s long-time confidante Sasikala Natarajan and the AIADMK supremo’s nephew J. Deepak performed the last rites at the memorial site.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Tamil Nadu governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Pon. Radhakrishan were among those who paid floral tributes. AIADMK party seniors and MLAs later showered flower petals and currency notes before the civic staff completed the burial work.
Moments after chief minister O. Panneerselvam’s convoy left the site, the public and party cadres thronged to the burial site to have a glimpse of the place where their leader was laid to rest. All roads leading to Marina wore a deserted look with mounds of footwear, plastic bottles and flowers strewn all around. According to official sources, more than two tons of flowers were used to decorate the gun carriage vehicle, which later was a big hit among the crowd as they took selfies with it late into the night.
According to Chennai Corporation and PWD engineers who were glued to the burial site since Monday night, more than 2,000 workers worked without a break to prepare the venue. “We were told that VVIPs like chief ministers and cabinet ministers would be present for the event and chairs were placed for about 150 VIPS. Chairs, generators, drinking water and mobile lavatories were set up within a span of 15 hours”, a senior corporation official said.
