K.M. Mani laid to rest with State honours

Hundreds flock to his house and church to bid farewell to their beloved leader

Kottayam/Kerala, 11/04/2019.The funeral cortege of Kerala Congress patriarch K.M.Mani proceeding to the St.Thomas cathedral through the Pala town here on Thursday.
Photo:H.Vibhu/ The Hindu.

The mortal remains of Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani were laid to rest at the cemetery of the St .Thomas Cathedral in Pala with full State honours on Thursday.

Cardinal Baselious Mar Cleemis of the Syro-Malankara Church led the funeral ceremony in the church. Archbishop of Trivandrum Soosa Pakiam M., Pala bishop Joseph Kallarangattu, and Kanjirappally bishop Mathew Arackal were the co-celebrants. Following the service, the body was buried at the cemetery by 6.45 p.m.

Cries rent the air when Mani’s mortal remains were brought to his residence at 7 a.m. As the casket carrying his body was placed in front of the Karingozhakkal house, tributes poured in from far and wide as people from various walks of lives queued up to catch a final glimpse of their leader.

Among those who paid homage here included Congress general secretaries Mukul Vasnik, K.C. Venugopal, and Oommen Chandy, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, and actors Mammootty and Renji Panikkar.

Emotional scenes

A few political leaders were particularly overwhelmed by grief. Congress leader A.K. Antony found it hard to hold back his tears while pacifying Kuttiyamma, wife of the late leader.

The funeral functions began by afternoon and the hearse reached the cathedral at 4.30 p.m. even as the mourners jostled for space to enter the church.

The funeral ceremony was followed by a condolence meeting, in which people from various walks of life participated.