The mortal remains of former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy was laid to rest late Thursday night at the St George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally, his home town, the epicentre of Chandy’s political career spanning over half a century,where he used to turn up for solace during his tenure as CM and as a party worker
As per the veteran Congress leader’s last wishes, the funeral was conducted without any official state honours. Only religious rituals were performed.The veteran Congress leader received one of the most revered adieus that suit his reputation of being a people’s leader.
Tens of thousands of people, cutting across the political spectrum, paid their last respects to Chandy in the past three days since his death at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday following a long battle with cancer. His body was shifted from Bengaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city which was Chandy’s centre of political activities, on Tuesday.
The procession carrying the mortal remains started from ‘Puthuppally house’ at Jagathy in Thiruvananthapuram,the state capital, at 7.15 am on Wednesday witnessed a massive crowd lining the roads to bid farewell to the late Congress leader. The procession reached only at 11.15 am on Thursday at Thirunakkara maidan in Kottayam, taking 28 hours to cover 150 kilometres. oommen chandy mourning thirunakkara to puthuppally funeral at puthuppally fvv The massive crowd of mourners who thronged the route taken by the hearse considerably slowed down the journey.
The funeral procession of the late Chief Minister has reached his ancestral house in Puthupally by 4.30 pm, after public viewing at Kottayam’s Thirunakkara Maidan. Chandy’s ancestral home witnessed emotional scenes as the vehicle carrying his body was brought there.It was there their “Kunjunju”, as he was called fondly by the people of the area, used to address the grievances of the people of his constituency , Puthuppally on weekends.
Though the last rites were initially scheduled to be held at 2 pm on Thursday, it was delayed due to the massive crowd of mourners lining the roads to bid farewell to the departed leader, resulting in the hearse considerably slowing down the journey.The funeral was held at around 11.55 pm on Thursday . His body was lowered at the special tomb made for his burial at 11.55 pm amid chanting ‘Oommen Chandy lives on through us’by thousands of Congress workers’
A galaxy of senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan, former home minister Ramesh Chennithala,Vayalar Revi numerous MPs, MLAs, and hundreds of party workers as well as members of the public were present on the church premises for the former CM’s funeral
Oommen Chandy was laid to rest without state honours as per his last wish. The family of the former Chief Minister has turned down official state honours during the funeral of the departed leader The government had earlier decided to conduct the funeral of the late leader with full state honours. Chandy’s wife Mariyamma informed the public administration department in writing that only religious ceremonies would suffice and no official honours should be part of the funeral as suggested by the late leader