Why DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi Was Buried And Not Cremated?
Karunanidhi had confessed that he was an atheist. The last rites are usually performed according to the deceased person¡¯s religious beliefs during his lifetime. As a common practice, Hindus are cremated while Muslims and Christians are buried.
Five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu and President of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Muthuvel Karunanidhi died in Kauvery Hospital, in Chennai at 6.10 pm on August 07. He was 94 years old.
He was a man known for his superb command on Tamil language and thorough knowledge of books and novels. His son M.K Stalin had saved a piece of land on Chennai¡¯s famous Marina beach which is already home to many political legends. However, the government in power, AIADMK had allotted a different burial site at Gandhi Mandapam for the 'Kalaignar'.
PTI/ modi paying his last respects to M Karunanidhi
Finally, a political row ensued and the Madras High Court ordered that the veteran politician be buried at Marina beach. One wonders why was Karunanidhi buried and not cremated?
Like all the well known leaders of the Dravidian movement, Karunanidhi had confessed that he was an atheist. The last rites are usually performed according to the deceased person¡¯s beliefs during his lifetime. As a common practice, Hindus are cremated while Muslims and Christians are buried.
As for people who do not believe in god, their last rituals are performed according to the belief system that runs in their family or community. Karunanidhi had admitted that he belonged to Isai Vellalar caste. ¡®Isai¡¯ means music and ¡®Vellalar¡¯ is a rough translation for something related to agriculture.
Rajnikanth paying his last respects to DMK chief M Karunanidhi
At present, though Isai Vellalar is considered a backward caste but historical links point to a form of Shaivite belief who used to wear a sacred thread, hinting at a past Brahmanical connection.
EV Ramasamy Naicker better was known as Periyar was the founder of the Dravidian and anti-Brahmanical movement. He was an atheist who declared there was no god. Karunanidhi was only 14 years old when he became a part of Periyar¡¯s justice party.
PTI/Supporters in large numbers arrive to pay their last respects to M Karunanidhi
He was also fortunate to be mentored by the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C.N Annadurai. Both Periyar and Annadurai were buried and not cremated. Except Periyar, most of the notable leaders of Tamil Nadu were buried at Marina beach.
The tradition of burial at Marina beach started with the burial of Annadurai. Next to him, lies MG Ramachandran and next to Ramachandran lies J Jayalalithaa. DMK leaders wanted to keep their phenomenal leader¡¯s legacy alive by following it up with a magnificent memorial at the site. A cremation wouldn't have done justice to a man of his stature. Therefore, the burial site would be Karunanidhi's final resting place from where the post-Kalaignar period can take off.
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