Kochi: An unusual sense of courage had filled the air of Neeranjanam, a two-storey house situated on Mangattu lane of Edappally, in the heart of the city on Friday when the family that lives there bid final adieu to their beloved head, N Ramachandran who was killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. It was evident from the emotional restraint shown by the family that they knew very well that they were wronged for no reason. A size of their life was taken away by militants in the most brutal manner. Ramachandran was enjoying a trek with his daughter and her eight-year-old sons when the ultras gunned down him and 25 others for not knowing Kalima, phrases used to express core Islamic beliefs.

Ramachandran’s family was joined by people from various walks of life cutting across religious and political lines in their moments of utmost grief, and he was given a hero’s farewell with full state honours. On what could be the saddest day for the family, they chose to rely on the sense of patriotism in which Ramachandran had an uncompromising belief throughout his life.

Emotions outpoured when Ramachandran’s family joined sloganeering in his final moments. Ramachandran’s wife Sheela, daughter Arathi Menon and son Aravind Menon bid adieu to him, shouting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ before leaving the mortal remains to flames at the crematorium.

It was not the only occasion when the slogan was raised during the funeral. Throughout the day, right when Ramachandran’s mortal remains were brought to Changampuzha Park for public viewing by 7.30 in the morning, Bharat Mata ki Jai was heard from the crowd, comprising BJP-RSS leaders and activists. Ramachandran was politically aligned to the BJP. 

Ramachandran’s daughter Arathi, sat beside the mortal remains, along with her mother and brother, during the public viewing, chanting prayers. She joined the sloganeering at times. She was heard shouting Bharat Mata ki Jai in her feeble voice when union Minister of State Suresh Gopi paid last respects to her father at their home.

Ramachandran was shot dead by a terrorist right in front of her eyes on April 22 when she was trekking the Baisaran meadows with her kids and father. Her mother was spared from the distressing experience as she stayed back in the hotel. Arathi managed to keep the death of her father a secret from her mother until they reached Kochi on Wednesday night.

Arathi, her mother and brother looked mostly calm and composed on the funeral day with a sea of people, most of them unknown to them, turning up to offer solace and solidarity to the grieving family. However, they all broke down into uncontrollable tears as they bid a final farewell to Ramachandran at the crematorium. The comfort offered by the sense of patriotism shared by the crowd seemed to be a necessity for them to survive the hard times. ‘Ramachandran amar rahe’ cannot be just a slogan for them.