Why Jayalalithaa was buried, not acremated?

ANOTHER REASON WHY JAYA WAS NOT CREMATED IS SAID TO BE THE BAN ON CREMATIONS AT MARINA BEACH BY THE NGT

CHENNAI: The burial, rather than cremation, of late Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday alongside the memorial of her mentor MG Ramachandran at Marina Beach, raised many eyebrows.

As per custom, a Tamil Brahmin – whether an Iyer or Iyengar – has to be cremated after death.

“Going by the practice, Jayalalithaa, a strict Tamil Iyengar Brahmin, was supposed to be cremated. It was rather surprising as to why she was buried,” said G Venkataraman, an Iyengar Brahmin.

Two reasons are being cited for the burial of Jayalalithaa, instead of cremation – one, traditional and another, political.

In Dravidian culture and traditions, Brahminical rituals are a strict no, and people do not care for gods and similar symbols.

“This is why Dravidian leaders do not attach much importance to such rituals,” said Prof Aarasu of the Tamil language department at Madras University.

“Jayalalithaa might be a Brahmin and also a staunch believer of Hindu religious rituals, but she was the leader of a Dravidian party which is closely associated with the Periyar movement that was antiBrahminical in nature. Since the party is deciding on the matters, it is a burial,” he said.

Besides, there is another reason. There are memorials for MGR and Annadurai on Marina beach and the party would like to erect a monument in Jayalalithaa’s memory as well, said Prof Aarasu.

Jayalalithaa, born a Brahmin, might not have publicly performed yagnas or homams while leading a Dravidian party in a state where anti-caste Dravidian ideology held sway, but she made no effort to hide her ardent following of Hindu religious rituals.

Yet, a few displays of her religious beliefs remained largely out of the public domain. Not many know, Jayalalithaa used to perform Rahu-Ketu puja at the Srikalahasti temple near Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. She was also a regular visitor to the famed Tirumala temple to pray to Lord Venkateshwara Swamy, besides Goddess Padmavati temple at Tiruchanur down the hills.