A crowd of thoudsands gathered for the funeral of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, known as the 'People's President'.
They came in buses, by train and boat. Many walked into Rameshwaram over the last two days to bid goodbye to Dr APJ Adbul Kalam, who was buried with full state honours in a public ground in this Tamil Nadu island town where he was born.
The presence of many VIPs at the last rites of the 'People's President' meant that the common man had to trudge the last few miles in sweltering heat, with vehicles being stopped for security reasons some distance away from the burial site.
That did not deter Dr Kalam's fans, who resolutely reached the Pei Karumbu ground.
Many had arrived on Wednesday to pay homage to Dr Kalam, whose body lay in state at a ground near the bus terminus for public tribute. At night, with Rameshwaram's hotels and other lodgings full, some people even slept on the roads.
They said they had come from Chennai and Pondicherry, some from further away. One man said he had come all the way from the USA.
"It's a great honour to be here... Dr Kalam said wherever you go, please love each other. His modesty has drawn so many people. This is the biggest crowd that I have ever seen," said a man.
"I am a big fan of Dr Kalam. He was a very real youth hero," said a young student, in Rameshwaram to attend the last rites.
Dr Kalam's body was brought to his ancestral home at 10 pm last night.
At about 9:30 am today, a casket with Dr Kalam's body, draped in a traditional green shawl, was carried by personnel of the three services to the mosque, where the
Aalin or the chief priest read out a special prayer and spoke about the former President.
Dr Kalam's body was then taken in a carriage draped in flowers to the burial site through packed streets, as people waved the Tricolour, and shouted slogans of "
Bharat Mata ki Jai."