The casket in which the mortal remains of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was laid to rest on Tuesday was made of teak by Vincent Parker.
An official of the firm said they received a call from government officials around 4 a.m. on Tuesday with a request for a casket that they wanted delivered by 1 p.m. Official sources also confirmed that the casket was made by the firm.
Cost of casket
Sources said that the casket was lined with pieces of sandalwood.
According to Shanthi Kumar, the public relations officer at Vincent Parker, government officials supervised the entire work.
“We started supplying caskets only since past four years. We make them only on order. The casket was made of teak. We have sufficient teak wood but not rose wood. The casket we made for the Chief Minister was heavier and more expensive than usual. A casket costs upwards of Rs. 30,000,” Ms. Kumar said. The wooden casket, designed and created by the staff of Vincent Parker, was fitted with satin and foam furnishings and topped with white lace. Brass ornaments decorated the sides of the casket.
“It is a simpler job to engrave the name in metal but the officials wanted it carved in wood. Work started at 4.30 a.m. and the staff could finish it only around 3.45 p.m.,” Ms. Kumar added.
At a disadvantage
Usually, families give undertakers at least a day’s time to prepare the casket but since the government wanted it the same day, she said the workers could not give it the maximum sheen.
According to her, the casket was carried to a supplier in Choolai in a government vehicle with police escort to engrave the name.
Since it was a public holiday, it was easy to complete the work, she added.
Vincent Parker officials added that the casket and the lowering machine were transported to the burial site on the Marina and their staff manned the machine that lowered the casket into the burial pit.
Vincent Parker, in the undertaking business since 1936, had made the coffin for several dignitaries, including former Chief Ministers C. N. Annadurai, M.G. Ramachandran and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, besides C.P. Adithanar, founder of Daily Thanthi and E.V.R. Periyar, founder of Dravida Kazhagam and Maniammai Periyar.
