Shimla | TNR
An emotional tsunami was witnessed during the last rites of Himachal’s six-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh at his ancestral home in Rampur on Saturday. His son Vikramaditya Singh lit the funeral pyre.
People from all walks of life were present
People from all walks of life made a beeline for Rampur to bid a final farewell to their popular leader and political stalwart, who was instrumental in taking Himachal Pradesh to new heights.
Few have drawn mammoth crowds
The vast numbers, who had gathered to witness the last rites of Virbhadra Singh, reminded people of the mammoth crowds at the funeral procession of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Minister Jayalalitha.
Special carriage prepared
At least a dozen carpenters and other workers worked round the clock for 48 hours to prepare a special carriage to carry the body from Padam Palace in Rampur to the smashan ghat.
People lined up all along the way showered flowers on the carriage.
Senior leaders bid final farewell
Other than the people of Himachal Pradesh many senior leaders including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Baghel, Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Congress in-charge for Himachal Pradesh, Rajeev Shukla, former Railway minister Pawan Bansal, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Punjab’s former deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal attended the last rites of Virbhadra Singh.
Slogans raised
No sooner had the body reached Rampur on Friday evening slogans like “look who has come, a lion has come”, “Not a king but a fakir, Himachal’s fortune”, “Long live Raja saheb”, resounded all over as a tribute to the stalwart of Himachal Pradesh.
Coronation of Vikramaditya performed
Earlier, on Saturday morning, the coronation of Vikramaditya Singh, was performed at the Raja Padam Singh Palace by royal priests in a closed-door ceremony. He was proclaimed the 123rd ruler of the erstwhile Bushahar state. Virbhadra Singh had ascended the throne at the age of 13 years.
