RIP Amma: Top leaders pay their respects to J Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa breathed her last on December 5 in Chennai.
Lakhs of grieving men and women bid a tearful adieu to J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday, the charismatic Chief Minister who held sway over Tamil Nadu politics for more than three decades with a pro-poor image, as the AIADMK supremo was buried here with full state honours.
President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, his counterparts from several states, Governor Vidyasagar Rao, DMK leader MK Stalin and superstar Rajnikanth were among the dignitaries who paid homage at Rajaji Hall where the body of 68-year-old Jayalalithaa lay in state since early morning.
Sasikala Natarajan, the close confidante of Jayalalithaa for over three decades, was beside the body throughout the day and later conducted the religious rituals before the sandalwood casket was lowered at a site close to MGR memorial on the shores of Marina beach.
No sooner had the brief rituals concluded at around 6 PM, the casket carrying the mortal remains of the five-time chief minister was lowered after a gun salute amid emotional chants of 'Amma Vazhga' (Long Live Amma) by a sea of humanity which had converged at the burial site.
Various leaders including Naidu, Rao, Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Paneerselvam, Speaker Dhanapal and former Governor K Rosiah placed wreaths at the feet of the body that was draped in a silk saree in her favourite green colour and a sandalwood garland placed around her neck.
(With PTI inputs)
Body of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was kept in Rajaji Hall on Tuesday for people to pay tributes.
(Source: Reuters)
Amma's Man Friday, O Panneerselvam, pays his last respects.
(Source: PTI)
Rahul Gandhi earlier took to Twitter saying, "Women,farmers,fishermen &the marginalised dreamt through her eyes."
(Source: PTI)
After a technical snag in his plane, President Pranab Mukherjee managed to fly to Chennai to pay homeage to J Jayalalithaa.
(Source: PTI)
PM Modi who spoke about his interaction with Jayalalithaa on Twitter, paid tribute to her mortal remains at Rajaji Hall.
(Source: PTI)
Inconsolable Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam hugs Narendra Modi.
(Source: PMO India Twitter handle)