Karunanidhi Burial at Marina LIVE: Dravidian Icon Laid to Rest Next to Anna and Amma, Chennai Bids Teary Farewell

Congress President Rahul Gandhi meets MK Stalin at Rajaji Hall to pay his respects to Karunanidhi. (PTI Photo)

In poignant scenes, Stalin was seen crying inconsolably after touching his father's feet before the casket containing Karunanidhi's body was lowered into the grave. The leader's youngest daughter and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi fondly caressed his head and cheek one last time.

Karunanidhi's son and heir apparent M K Stalin received the national flag wrapped around his father's body. Other family members including the leader's wife Rajathi Ammal, other sons and daughters showered flower petals at his feet.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Rahul Gandhi, union minister and the lone BJP Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu Pon Radhakrishnan, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad placed wreaths at the feet of the departed leader at the Marina.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi comforts a grieving Kanimozhi and Stalin. (PTI Photo)

A galaxy of leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, and his Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh counterparts Pinarayi Vijayan, K Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu dropped in to pay their last respects to the Kalaignar on Wednesday.

The 94-year-old leader, who will be remember as one of the founders of the Dravidian movement and a much-loved chief minister of Tamil Nadu, breathed his last at the Kauvery Hospital in Chennai on Tuesday evening after fighting for life for 11 days since July 28.

​Muthuvel Karunanidhi, a doyen of Dravidian politics, has been laid to rest on the Marina beachfront as a sea of humanity bid him a tearful farewell after an unsavoury courtroom battle his party won to secure for him the final resting place at the Chennai landmark beside other Tamil politics stalwarts MG Ramachandra, Annadurai and J Jayalalithaa.

KARUNANIDHI LAID TO REST | DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi has been laid to rest. His casket has been lowered into his final resting place beside the Anna Memorial at Marina Beach. Supporters throw flowers at the resting place. 

Emotional scenes at the Marina Beach memorial.

Army gives gun salute to M Karunanidhi as supporters and family members prepare to lower the coffin into the ground.

Karunanidhi's coffin has been closed shut as his sons Stalin and Alagiri can be seen breaking down standing in front of their father's mortal remains. Emotional scenes at the Marina Beach.

Karunanidhi's mortal remains have been placed inside the coffin as a tear-eyed MK Stalin looks on. Alagiri and Selvi also break down in tears.

Stalin, Kanimozhi and others pay their last respects to Karunanidhi at the burial ground at Marina.

M #Karunanidhi's family pays last tribute to the DMK chief at Marina beach. Burial to take place shortly pic.twitter.com/hNIW5dkjOy

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2018

Karunanidhi's sons MK Stalin, Alagiri and daughter Kanimozhi stand beside the body of their father as the personnel move the casket to prepare it for the final rites to bury the DMK patriarch at the Anna Memorial.

Family members, politicians, supporters and DMK cadre pay their last respects to Karunanidhi, a Dravidian politics stalwart who passed away at the age of 94.

Navy personnel paying tributes to DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. (Image: News18)

DMK supporters paying floral tributes to their beloved leader at the Anna Memorial in Marina Beach. 

A grieving Stalin stands at the feet of Karunanidhi with the flag that was handed over him by the Army. Now, Alagiri and others are paying their respects.

Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit pays his last respects to Karunanidhi as the crowd stands up in honour of the Kalaignar and Army personnel take off the national flag draped around his body and hand it over to son MK Stalin.

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O Brien, Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Veerappa Moily, Chandrababu Naidu and other top politicians pay their respects to Karunanidhi.

All members of the gathering stand up to pay their last respects to Karunanidhi as the Army, Navy and Air Force personnel march past his body placed inside the casket. Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and others watch in silence as the proceedings unfold.

Alagiri and other DMK leaders at the Marina Beach as Karunanidhi is laid to rest.

Supporters chant slogans for their Kalaignar as security forces pay tributes to Karunanidhi and march with the casket carrying his body. Stalin and teary-eyed supporters can be seen watching the grand event unfold at the Marina Beach.

Army personnel take out Karunanidhi's casket out of the truck for the final rites of the DMK patriarch at Marina Beach.

Army, Air Force and Navy personnel and Tamil Nadu Police stand guard for the full state honours to be given to M Karunanidhi at the Anna Memorial in Marina Beach.

The procession carrying M Karunanidhi has reached Marina Beach. Karunanidhi's children MK Stalin, Selvi, Kanimozhi and Alagiri are seated along with other political bigwigs, Rahul Gandhi, HD Deve Gowda and others at the Anna Memorial.

DMK supporters mourn the demise of M Karunanidhi. (PTI photo)

Arrangements at the burial spot in Marina Beach. Several politicians, including Rahul Gandhi, are waiting here for the final rites. (TV grab)