KOCHI: Just as the poetry of Changampuzha Krishna Pillai captures intense emotional upheavals, a park in Edappally named after the bard on Friday resonated with overwhelming grief and patriotic passion. The mortal remains of N Ramachandran, who was killed by terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, were kept in the park for public homage, before Kerala bid him a tearful farewell.
From the minute his body was brought from the mortuary at 7am, a continuous stream of people arrived to pay their last respects. Though the viewing was scheduled to end at 9.30am, the flow of mourners prompted extension till 10am.
In a poignant moment, a young girl, who was being balanced on her mother’s hips, was seen taking hold of flowers that her mother was holding and gently placing them over the coffin. Close relatives and friends approached the Ramachandrans, offering words of consolation and support.
In a heart-wrenching moment, Ramachandran’s son, Aravinda Menon, unable to contain his sorrow, collapsed onto the chest of a relative, who held him tight.
A similarly touching moment unfolded when Kerala High Court judge Devan Ramachandran arrived. Speaking to the bereaved family, he offered not just condolences, but strength.
As the tributes neared its end, emotions peaked. Sheila, Ramachandran’s wife, choking with grief, rose from her seat and walked towards the coffin. Some relatives tried to steady her, but she gently resisted, saying, “Don’t hold me, I’m fine.” She stood beside their daughter Arathy, and in a moment of shared anguish and resilience, both women raised their voices and cried out, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
The very next moment, they collapsed onto the coffin in tears. Some relatives gently escorted them away to ‘Neeranjanam,’ the family residence at Mangattu Lane, Edappally.
The body was later kept at the family home until noon. Here, too, the gathered crowd chanted “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”.
The procession from the house to the crematorium was accompanied by a massive crowd. Minister P Rajeeve, MPs Benny Behanan and Hibi Eden chose not to act as leaders, but to walk in front as family — reaffirming the unity in grief and strength in loss.