gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu (Surekha Reddy Gaddam) (06/04/91)
Excerpts from Deccan Chronicle: May 25: ====================================== The nation today bade a tearful farewell to Mr.Rajiv Gandhi when his mortal remains were consigned to flames near 'Shakti Sthal' on the banks of river Yamuna. Army buglers sounded the last post, guns boomed in salute and soldiers reverersed the arms, as Mr.Gandhi;s bespectaled teenager son Rahul clad in white Khurta, lit the funeral pyre at 27 minutes past 5 p.m. amidst chanting of religious hymns by Pandit Ganpat Ram Acharya, who administers last rites of the chosen few. Born an Italian, wife Sonia now looking every inch an Indian in a white sari was held by daughter, Priyanka, as flames consumed the mortal remain of the man for whom she had made India her home. Watching the solemn last rites at Shakti Sthal - source of strength - were weeping commoners, grim faced national leaders and a galaxy of foreign dignitaries with many of who, Rajiv had conferred as the leaders of the world's largest democracy for five years. Kings, princes, premiers and envoys had come from the five continents to bid him adieu at the very spot where he had picked up the mantle of national leadership from his assassinated mother, Indira Gandhi in 1984. The President Mr.R.Venkatarman, his wife Mrs.Janaki Raman and various ministers and former ministers were among the large crowd that stood in slience as the pyre was lit. Mr.Gandhi's body which was lying in state at the Teen Murthi house since Tuesday was earlier taken out in a procession, on a flower-bedecked gun carriage, through main thoroughfares of the capital. The procession reached shakti sthal at 4:40p.m. after nearly four hours of journey. The former president Giani Zail Singh and the PM Mr.Chandra Shekar were the last ones who laid the wreath on the body of Mr.Gandhi which was wrapped in India's national flag with a vague human contour virtually contrieved by doctors, at Shakti Sthal. Touching scenes were witnessed when the body was brought out from the main hall of Teen Murthi Bhawan among other By Sunil Dutt, Mr.Amitabh Bachchan and Mr.R.K.Dhawan. They placed the body on the flower-decked gun carriage amidst chanting rhymes. The chiefs of the Armed services, the chief of the Army staff, Gen S.F. Rodriguez, The chief of the Air staff, Air chief Marshall S.K.Mehra and the Navy chief, admiral Laxmi Narayan Ramdas. were the pall bearers. Several senior civil and police officers and a host of admirers of Mr.Gandhi were visibly moved when Mr.Gandhi started his last journey. As the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the body reached Connaught place via Kasturba Gandhi marg from India Gate side, many people including women were seen wailing. People climbed trees for a better view, while the terraces and calconies of high rise buildings were full. Milling crowds, who were barricades from the streets, chanted full throated cries of "Ma Beta Ka Yeh Balidaan Yaad Rakhega Hindusthan' ( the nation will remember the martyrdom of mother and son) and "Rajiv Gandhi Amar Rahe". The funeral procession took the Barakamba Road to move on the ITO crossing on its way to the banks of river Yamuna. Para military forces including the elite "Black cat Commandos' prowled the streets and a helicopter hovered over the skyline. As the procession reached the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, the fleet street of Delhi, crowds waiting for hours, despite the scorching sun, perched atop trees enroute to get a glimpse of the cortege carrying the body of Mr.Gandhi. Turning towards Rajghat on the Ring Road at the Ambedkar stadium, the cortege wound its way and reached shakti sthal almost 75 minutes behind schedule. Earlier the PM Mr.Chandra Shekar was seen personally overseeing the arrangements before the final journey began. Poignant scenes were seen as the body of the former prime minister was carried from the main hall of Teen murthy Bhawan where he spent his childhood, to the gun carriage. Chants of Rajiv Gandhi Amar rahe rent the air as the mortal remains of Rajiv Gandhi was carried by the three Services chiefs and close relatives including Son Rahul, friend Amitabh and Suman Dubey. The procession was led by the Delhi Area Major Genral S.C.Kashyap in an open jeep. Then followed the men of the Dogra regiment with reversed arms. Several Congress leaders including the former external affairs minister Mr.P.V.Narsimha Rao virtually broke down as Mr.Gandhi's body was being brought out. Bands of the Air Force played solemn notes as the cortege moved out slowly from Teen Murthy house towards Vijay Chowk. The funeral procession passed via India Gate, Connaught Place before proceeding towards Shakti Sthal through the ring road. PAINFUL RE-UNION ================ It was another painful reunion for the Gandhi family. This is the first time after Mrs.Indira Gandhi's death in 1984 that the children of the two Gandhi brothers( Sanjay and Rajiv ) were seen together publicly. Mrs.Maneka Gandhi was also present. Film star Amitabh was seen escorting the children of the brothers for the last journey of former PM from Teen Murthy Bhawan. Priyanka, daughter of the late PM, held Varun's hand and rushed to 10, Janpath, their residence in the company of Mr.Bachchan. Menaka was first to visit: ========================== Mrs.Maneka Gandhi, the sister-in-law of Mr.Rajiv Gandhi was the first to visit the AIIMS in New Delhi where the of body of MR.Gandhi was brought on Wednesday for postmortem. A visibly shaken Mrs.Gandhi accompanied by her son, Varun, told UNI that it was the 'grievous personal tragedy'. She learnt about the tragedy on Wednesday at Pillibhit(U.P.) from where she is seeking re-election to parliament. She immediately rushed to the capital by road covering 400 kms. LAST DAYS OF NEHRU, INDIRA AND RAJIV IN ORISSA: ============================================== In a strange coincidence, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi like his mother Indira, had spent the penultimate day of his life in Orissa. His Mother Indira was assassinated in Delhi after spending final day of her life in Orissa. Jawahar Lal Nehru, died in Delhi on May 27, 1964 after he fell sick at the AICC session in Bhubaneshwar. Narotham Reddy