Jayalalithaa’s final journey: Amma laid to rest with full state honours

The party of Jayalalithaa Jayaram, a powerful Indian politician who died on Monday, appointed a loyalist to lead her southern state and keep her supporters together as thousands of them grieved in the streets.

Hundreds of devotees had kept a round-the-clock vigil outside the private hospital in Chennai – the city formerly known as Madras – since she was first admitted in September suffering from a fever.

December 6: President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday paid his tribute to late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa at Rajaji Hall in Chennai. Her body was buried in sandalwood casket next to her mentor and political guru MG Ramachandran.

President Maithripala Sirisena has said that Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was a leader “dearly loved by her people”.

It was the party and not Jayalalithaa’s family that decided that she would be given a burial. Lakhs of people paid their respects to the film actor-turned-politician who became one of India’s most influential politicians.

She urged the people of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK to face this big loss with courage and greatness.

The corporation is not issuing advance reservation tickets on its buses towards Tamil Nadu.

Her death is regarded as a serious setback for the ruling AIADMK, which this year won elections exclusively on her popularity.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Jayalalithaa’s death left a “huge void in Indian politics”.

Before the funeral procession began, leaders from across the country paid tribute to her at the Rajaji Hall.

Within hours of Jayalalithaa’s death, her trusted lieutenant, O. Panneerselvam, was sworn in as chief minister. All other battles she won. “I join millions of admirers of Jayalalithaji in mourning her sad and untimely demise”. On the wide gallery-like stairs, sat AIADMK MLAs and Cabinet Ministers, her confidante and associate of more than three decades, Sasikala Natarajan, stood by the side along with her with relatives and husband Natarajan.

“She was progressive in her thought and pro-active in pursuing the issues that were close to her heart, such as the empowerment of women and welfare of children”.

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting M. Venkaiah Naidu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, state Congress President S. Thirunavukarasar, movie stars Rajinikanth, Prabhu, Sathyaraj, Gautami and Y.G. Mahendran visited the hall. “That is the flip side of a strong leader”, said columnist and political commentator Neerja Chowdhury.