Thousands of Indians have taken to the streets and a week long period of mourning has been declared in India’s Tamil Nadu state following the death Jayalalithaa Jayaram, the southern state’s chief minister. Jayalalithaa was immensely popular with her more than 70 million constituents, achieving cult status with her face adorning numerous products, storefronts, and billboards, and is popularly known only as “ Amma” which means “Mother,” according to the Guardian . The Indian prime minister expressed his sorrow on Twitter, along with numerous Indian politicians, actors, and public figures. Shah Rukh Khan, one of Bollywood’s most famous stars, joined Modi in mourning the beloved politician.
Sad to hear of the passing away of Jayalalithaaji…May her soul rest in peace.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 5, 2016
Jayalalithaa ji’s connect with citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women & marginalized will always be a source of inspiration.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2016
As leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) political party, Jayalalithaa was also known as the “Iron Lady” for her relentless ambition and populist schemes aimed at securing her political power. In 2014, she was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to four years in prison, but was released on bail just 22 days later to the joy of her devotees. During her imprisonment, 200 people committed suicide as a show of support for their beloved “Amma.” Her sentence was eventually suspended and Jayalalithaa returned to politics in May 2015 following an official acquittal.
As the BBC reports, despite controversy and accusations of corruption, Jayalalithaa attained god-like popularity with supporters performing extreme acts of devotion including tattooing her image on their bodies in honor of her 68th birthday. Her fervent followers have gone so far as to set themselves on fire as a sign of their devotion. As reported in the New Indian Express , a retired police officer attempted to immolate himself in 2014 following Jayalalithaa’s corruption conviction.
“Amma” began her film career at the young age of 13 and starred in more than 130 films before she became involved in politics. In 1982, she joined Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran, also a former actor, in his party and became its leader following Ramachandran’s death in 1987. As a politician, Jayalalithaa won over her constituents by giving away computers and household appliances and by supporting education, health, and economic reforms benefiting Tamil’s rural poor. She also built subsidized restaurants called “ Amma Canteens ” that provide affordable food in more than 200 locations. All of these efforts contributed to her cult-icon status.
Jayalalithaa was hospitalized in September for dehydration and fever, an event that instigated weeks of rioting and self-immolation by her supporters, necessitating the deployment of security personnel. Despite doctors’ assurances that she was recovering and would be released, Jayalalithaa suffered a massive heart attack Sunday evening and was declared dead after 75 days in the hospital. As news of her death hit media outlets, Tamil Indians poured onto the streets to express their grief, leaving officials concerned about possible riots and violence.
On Tuesday morning, Jayalalithaa’s body was moved to a public hall in Chennai, her coffin draped with the Indian national flag. After giving her followers sufficient time to pay their respects, the former Bollywood starlet was moved to Marina Beach where, according to First Post India , she will be buried shortly. It has taken more than an hour to drive the short three-kilometer distance from Rajaji Hall to Marina Beach as mourners continue to arrive to pay their last respects. Strewn with flowers, the sandalwood casket will be laid to rest next to next to the memorial of Jayalalithaa’s mentor, MG Ramachandran. In an official announcement by the Tamil Nadu government, flags will be flown at half-mast for the next week as the state observes a week long mourning period .
Following the announcement of her death, AIADMK finance minister and Jayalalithaa loyalist, O. Panneerselvam , was sworn in as chief minister.
[Featured Image by Tsering Topgyal/AP Images]
