RIP Atal Bihari Vajpayee: Nation bids farewell to iconic son

The mortal remains of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee were consigned to flames with full state honours on the banks of the Yamuna here on Friday.

The Bharat Ratna recipient's foster daughter, Namita Bhattacharya, lit the funeral pyre around 4:30 pm amid a booming gun salute and chants of mantras at central Delhi's Rashtriya Smriti Sthal.

Rain gods blessed the final adieu but held back a heavy shower that could have been a spoiler in laying to rest one of India's most popular sons.

While others kept their emotions in check, Vajpayee's foster granddaughter, Niharika Bhattacharya, could not hold back her tears.

As the flames from the pyre went high, political stalwarts, including some of those who knew the man closely, stood with folded hands and a soft prayer on their lips.

Politicians across the spectrum — led by President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah — as well as foreign dignitaries paid their respects.

Modi, Shah, Advani (who built BJP along with Vajpayee), Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, former PM Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi sat in a row and witnessed the last rites of the iconic leader who passed away at 93 on Thursday, after nine weeks of treatment for age-related ailments at AIIMS here.

Party leaders stand as the vehicle carrying the remains enters BJP HQ

According to protocol, the President, the PM, the Vice-President, the Defence Minister, the Chiefs of three forces and the Defence Secretary laid wreaths before the body.

After the official protocol, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approached Shah, Advani and former PM Singh, who also laid wreaths.

Then, the Tricolour that wrapped the casket was handed over to the family. It was Vajpayee's foster granddaughter who received a neatly folded National Flag from an Army officer.

The family then sat down for a quiet ritual, which was performed before the body was finally placed on the pyre.

The venue, next to Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi's resting place, also had common citizens pouring in big numbers for a final send-off to the late PM.

In the background of the mantras, one could hear the slogans Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Atal Bihari Amar Rahein.

These non-political supporters were there to get a glimpse of one of India's biggest mass leaders.

"I have heard tales of Atalji coming to our family home as a young man. I just wanted to pay my respect to him," said Neeraj Dubey who travelled from UP's Etawah.

Ram Kumar from another UP town, Aligarh, said, "One doesn't need to be a BJP supporter to be present here."

There were many who could not enter the main complex to witness the proceedings but sat patiently around till the last rites were performed.

A canopy with tin sheets was attempted as a last-minute precaution to save the resting place from rain but the plan was aborted as the workers ran against time. Luckily, the rain gods smiled.

Earlier, Modi and Shah led a sea of people who followed Vajpayee's funeral procession from the BJP headquarters. They walked the four-km stretch behind the flower-decked gun carriage.

Thousands of people chanted 'Atal Bihari Amar Rahein' and 'Vande Mataram' and showered petals on the glass casket that carried the mortal remains, and jostled to get a glimpse of the first non-Congress leader to serve a full term in power.

The three-time PM's body, draped in the Tricolour, was kept overnight at his house on Krishna Menon road here. From there, it was taken with military honours to the BJP office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg where thousands gathered to pay their respects to the man known for ordering nuclear tests and making bold diplomatic decisions, in his efforts to achieve peace with Pakistan.

Vajpayee's ashes will be spread in all Uttar Pradesh rivers, including Ganga, Yamuna, and Tapti, in line with the fact that the state has been his karmbhoomi.

The Central government has declared a seven-day national mourning to honour the founder members of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh that later transformed into BJP.

The National Flag is being flown at half mast from Thursday for seven days across India. Schools and govt institutions in Delhi remained closed on Friday.

Vajpayee retired from active politics in 2005. Since 2009, the three-time PM had largely been confined to his home here, away from public life due to his failing health.

Born to a middle-class Brahmin family of Krishna Bihari Vajpayee and Krishna Devi in Madhya Pradesh'es Gwalior on December 25, 1924. He was one of the seven children. He had many literary, artistic and scientific accomplishments.

Vajpayee was the first person to address the UN General Assembly in Hindi. He was also the only PM besides Jawaharlal Nehru to hold office on three consecutive terms.

He was the first PM since Indira Gandhi to win successive elections.Political leaders across the spectrum went to the hospital and later to his residence to pay their respects.

TRIBUTES POUR AT BJP HQ

Vajpayee’s body was kept overnight at his house. From there, it was taken to the BJP headquarters where thousands gathered to pay their respects

THE 4-KM PROCESSION

PM Modi, Shah led a sea of people who followed Vajpayee’s funeral procession from the BJP headquarters. They walked the four-km stretch. Thousands of people chanted ‘Atal Bihari Amar Rahein’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ and showered petals on the glass casket that carried the mortal remains, and jostled to get a glimpse of the former prime minister. 

FUNERAL AT SMRITI STHAL

Politicians across the spectrum and foreign dignitaries bid farewell to India’s much-loved poet-politician. All three Service Chiefs also paid their respects. 

The venue, Smriti Sthal, next to Raj Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s resting place, also had common citizens coming in big numbers for a final send off to the late PM.

HE WILL LIVE ON IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

All 3 Service Chiefs give Vajpayee one final salute 

Bugles sounded the last post, uniformed soldiers clicked their heels and a sombre silence fell over the crowd as Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s mortal remains were consigned to the flames on Friday evening. Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa paid their last tributes to the former Prime Minister, who was cremated with full state honour. 

Foster daughter lights pyre as guns boom in salutation  

Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster daughter, Namita Kaul Bhattacharya, lit the pyre as cries of ‘Atal Bihari Amar Rahein’ reverberated through the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, the cremation site for top leaders. Then, the Tricolour wrapped around the glass coffin of the departed statesman was handed over to his granddaughter, Niharika.  

Ashes will be immersed in rivers in UP, his workplace 

The former prime minister’s ashes will be immersed in rivers, including the Ganga, Yamuna, and Tapti, in all the districts in Uttar Pradesh, the state government said on Friday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced this was being done because Uttar Pradesh was Vajpayee’s ‘karmabhoomi’ — the land of action —and its people will get an opportunity to be part of his final journey.