Chennai: In reverence and devotion to late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, a party leader held his son’s wedding ceremony at the premises of her samadhi on the Marina beach here on Wednesday. The final resting place of Jayalalithaa was decked up for the occasion with a colourful array of flowers and garlands as S P Sambasivaraman alias Satish, son of city-based AIADMK leader S Bhavanishankar, tied the knot with R Deepika in a traditional ceremony.
The couple sat right in front of the samadhi – on the pathway used to circumambulate the mausoleum – for the wedding ceremony in the accompaniment of friends and relatives. As the auspicious music of ‘nadaswaram‘ was played, a priest chanted hymns and the marriage was solemnised with the groom tying the mangalsutra around the bride’s neck. Also, an ‘arti‘ was performed as a mark of respect to the departed leader as the couple prostrated before the mausoleum.
Party workers said the marriage at ‘Amma’s‘ (Jayalalithaa) mausoleum gave them the satisfaction of the wedding being blessed by the late leader. Using flowers, two-leaves symbol of the AIADMK was drawn in green on the samadhi’s floor and the portrait of Jayalalithaa was decorated with garlands.
Party sources said special permission was obtained from authorities to solemnise the marriage at the mausoleum. Veteran party leader A Thamizh Magan Hussain, former State Minister S Gokula Indira presided over the wedding, attended by party workers among others. Jayalalithaa died on 5 December 2016 and was buried behind the memorial of her mentor and AIADMK founder leader M G Ramachandran abutting the Marina Beach.