Thiruvananthapuram: The Latvian woman, who was found murdered in Kovalam last month, was laid to rest at Shanthi Kavadam crematorium at Thycaud here on Thursday.
As her grieving sister is set to leave for Latvia next Thursday, the city where the victim arrived to start a new chapter in her life bid a teary goodbye to the woman.
The chronically depressed woman was undergoing Ayurvedic treatment at Pothencode when she went missing from Kovalam and her rotting body was discovered from a mangrove forest a month later.
Ilze Skromane, her sister, and Andrew Jordan, her partner, will Sunday lead a group of mourners at Nishagandhi Auditorium where a candle light vigil and a musical evening will mark a heavy-hearted obituary for the murdered woman.
Ilze and Jordan, who are set to speak at the function, will recount their journey through the state frantically searching for their family member who remained missing for over a month.
Ilze has also invited the chief minister and the opposition leader to the function and said she hoped to clear the air about misgivings created by conflicting media reports.
Favourite musician to perform
The candle-lit evening will celebrate the victim's memories, with her idol Navin Gandharva flying in from Mumbai to play her favourite notes on his mesmerising belabaharr.
Ilze will recount her sister's memories in a video presentation after which a sapling will be planted in her memory at Kanakakkunnu premises.
The event will be live-cast for friends in Ireland and Latvia.
Ashes will be flown to Latvia
Ilze will take her sister's ashes to her country, where keeping the ashes in an urn at home is the tradition.
Her ashes will be deposited in the garden and a sapling will be planted on it, just as she wanted.
The grieving family had initially considered taking the body to Latvia, but they gave up the plan later.
The funeral rites will be led by vicar-general of the Thiruvananthapuram archdiocese, Eugene H Pereira.
The victim's parents or her brother will not be traveling to India for the event.
