Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s memorial site – next to that of her political mentor MG Ramachandran – is being readied.
The memorial site at Marina Beach is being prepared as Jayalalithaa’s final resting place. Thousands of people are expected to attend the state funeral.
Jayalalithaa died late on Monday night, after her life support system was unable to pull her through the cardiac arrest she suffered on Sunday.
Jayalalithaa’s body was kept in Rajaji Hall on Tuesday morning for people to pay their last respects. Rajaji Hall held a lot personal significance for Jayalalithaa as she kept vigil in that very place when her political mentor MG Ramachandran died in 1987.
Several political leaders, government functionaries, and celebrities visited Rajaji Hall to pay their respects. They included Kanimozhi of the DMK, Captain Vijayakanth and Premalatha of the DMDK, Khusbu Sundar and EVKS Elangovan of the Congress, Governor Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court SK Kaul, judges Justices KK Sasidharan, B Rajendran, and actor Sarath Kumar, among others.
Later, her body will be taken to Marina Beach for the last rites.
The procession carrying her body will to the Beach via Anna Salai, Walajah Road, and Chepauk Stadium.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Chennai and President Pranab Mukherjee will be attending the funeral as well.
Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao declared that the state would be in mourning for seven days and that the National Flag would be flown at half-mast. The central government too has declared a day of national mourning and the National Flag will be flown at half-mast.
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