Sea of humanity converged in the royal city of Patiala to bid a tearful adieu to the ‘Rajmata’ Mohinder Kaur, mother of Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who breathed her last on Monday evening at the age of 96.
The mortal remains of the royal matriarch, who passed away after a prolonged illness at her residence in Patiala, were consigned to flames as Capt Amarinder, elder son, lit the pyre at the Shahi Smadhan - Patiala royal family’s ancestral cremation ground.
Capt Amarinder was joined by younger brother Malwinder Singh and son Raninder Singh in lighting the pyre amid tight security.
Besides the immediate family, the Chief Minister’s brothers-in-law, former Union Minister Kanwar Natwar Singh and Major Kanwaljit Singh Dhillon, were also present along with their sons.
Capt Amarinder’s grandsons — Nirvan Singh, Angad Singh and Yaduinder Singh — also joined in performing the last rites.
Political, religious and administrative leaders were joined by ordinary citizens from all walks of life for the cremation.
People had started gathering at the Moti Bagh palace in the morning itself for a last glimpse (antim darshan) of their beloved ‘Rajmata’.
Among those who paid their respects were Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana KP Singh, Deputy Speaker Ajaib Singh Bhatti, Cabinet Ministers Brahm Mohindra, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Jalandhar MP Santokh Chaudhary, former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, among others.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Delhi) president Paramjit Singh Sarna and Harvinder Singh Sarna also paid respects to the departed soul, along with top civil and police officials of Punjab.
Cutting across party lines, several prominent political leaders, including Patiala MP Dharamvir Gandhi, Apna Punjab Party president Sucha Singh Chotepur, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Shiromani Akali Dal MlAs Parminder Singh Dhindsa, NK Sharma and Trinamool Congress Punjab unit leader Jagmeet Singh Brar expressed condolences and paid floral tributes to the departed soul.
Several religious and spiritual personalities from various sects and faiths also offered prayers at the Shahi Smadhan.
Earlier, Rajmata’s funeral procession, which started from Moti Bagh palace at 1:20 pm, went through the streets of Patiala, where huge crowds had gathered to pay their respects to Rajmata, amidst cries of ‘Rajmata Amar Rahe, Rajmata Amar Rahe’.
The Chief Minister, along with his brother Malwinder Singh, son Raninder Singh and his grandsons Nirvan Singh, Angad Singh and Yaduinder Singh, accompanied the mortal remains of Rajmata in a flower decked funeral van.
At the Shahi Smadhan, an emotional Captain Amarinder, joined by his brother and other family members and relatives, shouldered the bier to the cremation site.
Rajmata is survived by two sons — Amarinder and Malwinder, and two daughters — Heminder Kaur, wife of Natwar Singh, and Rupinder Kaur, wife of Major Dhillon.
Wife of Maharaja Yadvindra Singh, the monarch of the Patiala royal family, the Rajmata was the last designated queen of the Patiala kingdom.
The erstwhile Patiala royal remained active in politics in 1960s and 1970s as a Congress leader. She headed the district Congress committee in Patiala and was involved in a number of social and welfare activities.
The Rajmata was elected to the lok Sabha in 1967 from Patiala seat. She was also a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Badals, other Akali, BJP leaders call on Capt Amarinder
Patiala: Shiromani Akali Dal’s senior leaders — former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and party chief Sukhbir Badal — on Tuesdaycalled on Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh at his Moti Bagh Palace to condole the death of his mother Rajmata Mohinder Kaur.
Badals, along with senior party leader and ex-cabinet colleagues Bikram Majithia and Parminder Dhindsa, met Capt Amarinder and his wife Preneet Kaur, along with other family members to extend their sympathies.
Punjab BJP president and the Union Minister Vijay Sampla also joined the Akali leaders in paying his respects to the bereaved family.
Badal recalled Rajmata’s contribution to the people of India, particularly Punjab, as a politician and a philanthropist. Rajmata would always be remembered as a lady beyond her times, who had left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people, said Badal.
The Akali and BJP leaders said that their prayers were with the family in their hour of grief. May Rajmata’s soul rest in peace and may God give courage to the family to bear the sad loss, they added.
Rajamata’s demise an irreparable loss: Phoolka Aam Aadmi party’s senior leader and MlA HS Phoolka on Tuesday said that the demise of Rajmata Mohinder Kaur, a veteran Parliamentarian and last queen of Patiala, is an irreparable loss to the society. “Her contribution to the society is unparalleled and she will be long remembered for her charitable traditions of her family,” said Phoolka.