Sugunachans body is cremated

Amma kissing Sugunacchan's face before the cremation

Amritapuri, 23 Mar 2010

The body of Sugunanandan, father of Mata Amritanandamayi, who died on Monday (22 Mar 2010), was cremated on the premises of his Edamannel house near the Amritapuri ashram on Wednesday at 8 p.m. Suresh Kumar, the eldest son of Sugunanandan, lit the pyre. Thousands of people including devotees, sannyasins of various ashrams, and political and community leaders paid their last respects to the departed father of Amma.

Amma, who returned from Kolkata on Tuesday morning, was sitting by the side of the body along with her mother Damayanthi, sisters and brothers and sannyasins. Ashramites have been chanting the 8th chapter of the Bhagavad Gita repeatedly around the clock.

Ministers C Divakaran, N K Premachandran, Kadannappally Ramachandran, Opposition leader Oommen Chandy, Congress leaders V M Sudheeran and G Karthikeyan, Kerala Congress leader K M Mani and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappalli Natesan were among those who paid their last respects to Sugunanandan. Union ministers A K Antony and Vayalar Ravi, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, Ministers G Sudhakaran and S Sarma and CPM State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan were among those who sent condolence messages.

Amma consoling her sister Kasturi
Amma consoling her family members (sister Kasturi) upon reaching the ashram from Calcutta
Amma taking her first look at Sugunacchan's body through the glass coffin
Amma taking her first look at Sugunacchan’s body through the glass coffin
Amma sat in meditation for by Sugunacchan's coffin
Amma sitting in meditation by Sugunacchan’s coffin
Amma at the parents' house, while devotees pay their last homages to Sugunacchan
Amma sitting in the parents’ house, while devotees pay their last homages to Sugunacchan
Brahmacharis chanting the Bhagavad Gita's 8th Chapter. The chanting went on around the clock for 3 days.
Brahmacharis chanting the Bhagavad Gita’s 8th Chapter. The chanting went on around the clock for 3 days
The body is carried outside the house by family members and swamis
The body is carried outside the house by family members and swamis
Amma uncovering Sugunacchan's face after he was transported outside the house
Amma uncovering Sugunacchan’s face after he was transported outside the house
The uncovered face
The uncovered face
Suresh and Sateesh offering a flower garland to their deceased father
Suresh and Sateesh offering a flower garland to their deceased father
Amma helping her mother Damayanti Amma to pay her last homage to Sugunacchan
Amma helping her mother Damayanti Amma to pay her last homage to Sugunacchan
Family members offering flowers
Family members offering flowers
Father Koshi from the Mar Thoma Church of Maramon, offering his prayers and respect to Sugunacchan
Father Koshi from the Mar Thoma Church of Maramon, offering his prayers and respect to Sugunacchan
Thousands of people (villagers, ashramites and devotees) from around the world came to pay their last respects
Thousands of people (villagers, ashramites and devotees) from around the world came to pay their last respects
Students from the Amrita Institutes joined ashramites, villagers and devotees in paying their respects
Students from the Amrita Institutes joined ashramites, villagers and devotees in paying their respects
Brahmacharinis chanted the Bhagavad Gita's 8th Chapter for three continuous days
Brahmacharinis chanted the Bhagavad Gita’s 8th Chapter for three continuous days
Brahmacharinis circumbulating the body and offering flowers
Brahmacharinis circumambulating the body and offering flowers
Swami Prakashananda from Sivagiri Math, Varkala paying homage to Sugunacchan
Swami Prakashananda from Sivagiri Math, Varkala paying homage to Sugunacchan
The swamis from Amma's order covering Acchan's body with the Math's emblem
The swamis from Amma’s order covering Acchan’s body with the Math’s emblem
The swamis from Amma's order paying their last tributes to a man who was like a father to them
The swamis from Amma’s order paying their last tributes to a man who was like a father to them
Amma kissing Sugunacchan's face before the cremation
Amma kissing Sugunacchan’s face before the cremation
Amma handing over a coconut to her eldest brother Suresh before the body is carried to the cremation grounds
Amma handing over a coconut to her eldest brother Suresh before the body is carried to the cremation grounds
The swamis and family members carrying the body to the fire-place
The swamis and family members carrying the body to the fire-place
Amma's eldest brother Suresh carrying the coconut and circumbulating the pyre
Amma’s eldest brother Suresh carrying the coconut and circumambulating the pyre
Swami Amritaswaropananda handing over the fire torch to Suresh
Swami Amritaswaropananda handing over the fire torch to Suresh
The fire is lit by Suresh, as per the traditional duty of the eldest son
The fire is lit by Suresh, as per the traditional duty of the eldest son
As per the rituals, Suresh, back turned to the body, throws the coconut into the pyre
As per the rituals, Suresh, back turned to the body, throws the coconut into the pyre
The fire consumes the body
The fire consumes the body
A few hours later, ashes lay in front of Acchan's smiling portrait
A few hours later, ashes lay in front of Acchan’s smiling portrait