Kerala bids tearful farewell to Comrade VS Achuthanandan

Alappuzha: Amid pouring rain and roaring waves, Kerala bid an emotional farewell to one of its tallest leaders, VS Achuthanandan, on Wednesday evening. Draped in garlands of roses and jasmine, the veteran communist lay in state on a bier, carried on the shoulders of the people for whom he had lived and fought.

Cries of “Our dearest VS, the rose in our hearts, you will not die! Comrade VS is not dead!” echoed through the streets. The chants mingled with the crashing of the sea waves in Alappuzha, reverberating across the horizons. In the soil that had nourished his struggles, the red star dimmed at last.

By evening, heavy rain lashed the coastal town, but it did little to deter the tidal wave of mourners. From Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, people poured into Alappuzha -- party workers, admirers, and ordinary citizens --to bid a final farewell to the leader who had stood with them for decades. The land that had witnessed his unwavering resistance stood ready to receive him one final time.

Hands raised to the grey skies, the people chanted “Inquilab Zindabad!” as they surrounded the body of the comrade who had made his entire life a testament to struggle -- and never once compromised.

The final journey began from Thiruvananthapuram at 2:30 PM on Tuesday, after the mortal remains were kept for public homage at his son’s residence in Barton Hill and later at Durbar Hall. The funeral procession moved slowly, with thousands offering floral tributes along the 150-kilometre route. It took 22 hours to reach Velikkakathu house in Punnapra, his native place in Alappuzha, by Wednesday noon.

From there, the body was taken to the CPI(M) District Committee Office and then to the Beach Recreation Ground for further public viewing. Though the cremation was originally scheduled for 5 PM at Valiya Chudukadu crematorium, the overwhelming turnout caused considerable delay.

When the mortal remains finally reached Valiya Chudukadu around 9 PM, the air was thick with emotion. At 9:15 PM, his son Arunkumar lit the funeral pyre. As flames rose into the night sky, thousands of voices rang out in unison — a final chorus of love, grief, and revolutionary spirit: “Farewell, VS.”

The funeral procession, which began from Thiruvananthapuram at around 2:30 PM on Tuesday, took nearly 22 hours to reach Alappuzha. Along the entire route, crowds lined the roads to offer floral tributes and bid farewell to the revolutionary leader whose political life spanned more than seven decades.

VS Achuthanandan, known for his unwavering ideological commitment and tireless fight for the marginalised, leaves behind a legacy that deeply shaped Kerala’s political and social landscape.

Thousands of people had flocked to the house to catch a final glimpse of former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan after his mortal remains were kept at his Velikkakathu residence for public viewing on Wednesday. The police and Red Volunteers struggled to manage the vast crowd gathered in front of the residence.

Thousands of mourners from all sections of society gathered to bid farewell to the Marxist stalwart, whose unwavering commitment to the working class and social justice spanned more than eight decades. The overwhelming turnout has been slowing down the final procession considerably.

The bus carrying Achuthanandan’s body had departed from Thiruvananthapuram at 2 pm on Tuesday, but only entered Alappuzha district around 6.45 am on Wednesday. Though the 150-kilometre journey typically takes about four hours, the sheer number of people lining the roads to pay their respects led to long delays.

Despite the rain and overnight wait, countless admirers stood with flowers in hand, determined to catch one last glimpse of the leader they revered.

Achuthanandan passed away at 3.20 pm on Monday while undergoing treatment in the critical care unit of the SUT Hospital in Pattom. He had been hospitalised since June 23 following a cardiac arrest.

A founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Achuthanandan was known for his lifelong advocacy of land reforms, labour rights and progressive politics. He served as Kerala’s Chief Minister from 2006 to 2011, and was elected to the state assembly seven times, including three terms as Leader of the Opposition.