The mortal remains of Congress veteran and former Chief Minister of Kerala, K. Karunakaran, were consigned to flames with full state honours on the premises of Murali Mandiram, a house owned by him at Punkunnam in the heart of the city, on Saturday.
Karunakaran died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday at the age of 93.
His son, K. Muraleedharan, lit the funeral pyre around 5 p.m. Karunakaran was cremated near the memorial of his wife Kalyanikutty Amma.
Earlier in the day, the body was kept at the Town Hall and the District Congress Committee office, Karunakaran Sapthathi Mandiram.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived at the Town Hall at 2.15 p.m. to pay his last respects to the Congress veteran. He placed a wreath on the body and consoled Karunakaran's relatives.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad; Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi; Union Minister of State for Agriculture K.V. Thomas; and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Mohsina Kidwai.
The Prime Minister flew down from New Delhi to Kochi and reached Thrissur by helicopter.
Security in and around the city was tightened in connection with his visit. Commandos and the police guarded the Town Hall.
Thousands lined the route when the body was taken from the Town Hall to the DCC office and then to Murali Mandiram.
Among those present at the funeral ceremony were Defence Minister A.K. Antony; Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Oommen Chandy; Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala; Minister for Home Kodiyeri Balakrishnan; Minister for Cultural Affairs M.A. Baby; and Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran. Only top leaders, officials and relatives were allowed to enter the funeral site. Some of his relatives, especially his grandchildren, were inconsolable when the pyre was lit.
The body was brought to Thrissur from Thiruvananthapuram around 8 a.m. The hearse took 18 hours to reach Thrissur as it was stopped at major junctions where thousands gathered to pay homage.
Karunakaran was Chief Minister of Kerala four times, Union Industries Minister in 1995, and Congress Working Committee member. He was elected three times to the Rajya Sabha and twice to the Lok Sabha. He started his political career in Thrissur as a trade unionist.
