The procession, which began from Durbar Hall in Thiruvananthapuram, travelled over 150 kilometres through rain-soaked roads.
Published Jul 23, 2025 | 1:00 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 23, 2025 | 1:00 PM
The final procession of VS Achuthanandan when it reached Alappuzha.
Synopsis: After 22 hours on the road, the final journey of VS Achuthanandan reached its most emotional stop: His ancestral home, Velikkakathu Veedu, in Punnapra. He will be laid to rest at Valiya Chudukadu — the sacred soil that cradles the martyrs of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising.
After 22 hours on the road since Tuesday, 22 July, the final journey of VS Achuthanandan — the last of Kerala’s legendary Communist revolutionaries — has reached its most emotional stop: His ancestral home, Velikkakathu Veedu, in Punnapra of the Alappuzha district.
The air in Punnapra is thick with emotion. The house that once sent off a spirited young comrade into the fires of history now welcomes him back — lifeless, but lionised.
There, a sea of mourners — the people of Punnapra and leaders across the political spectrum — await to pay their last respects. For them, this isn’t just a farewell; it’s a salute to an era. Earlier, as the funeral procession wound its way through the heart of Kerala, an ocean of people stood on either side of the road.
They came from all walks of life, from across districts and ideologies, united in grief and reverence. The road became a moving memorial, drenched in memory, tears, and tribute — a people’s red salute to a comrade who never abandoned their cause.
The 101-year-old former chief minister and veteran CPI(M) leader passed away on Monday.
People gathered to bid farewell to their dear comrade — VS (X)
Carrying red flags, garlands, and portraits of their beloved “VS,” the people chanted slogans he once raised during epic struggles. Now, those same slogans echoed with finality.
The procession, which began from Durbar Hall in Thiruvananthapuram at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, travelled over 150 kilometres through rain-soaked roads.
It entered Alappuzha via Kollam district, with crowds swelling at every junction. Hundreds defied the monsoon’s fury at dawn — eyes moist, voices choked — chanting, “Lal Salam, Comrade!”
Though he was expected to reach Punnapra by 9 am on Wednesday, the journey was delayed — not by circumstance, but by love.
Every junction, every stops became an emotional checkpoint. Women, children, and elderly citizens stood for hours along the 151-km route. Some waved red flags; others clutched portraits close to their hearts. Many stood in silence, letting their tears speak.
The expected schedule was altered to accommodate the unprecedented turnout.
CPI(M) State Secretary MV Govindan, speaking from the Velikkakathu house, announced that public homage at the CPI(M) district committee office would be cut short due to the massive crowds.
“The funeral may take longer than initially planned,” he added.
From Velikkakathu, VS’s body will be taken to the CPI(M) district committee office in Thiruvambady, and then to the beachside recreation ground.
People gathered despite the rains to pay last respects to VS.
By evening, he will be laid to rest at Valiya Chudukadu — the sacred soil that cradles the martyrs of the historic Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. For VS, this is not just a burial site. It is where his journey began — in fire, sacrifice, and the fight for justice.
It is the ideological earth that nourished his lifelong struggles. Now, he returns to rest among those whose legacy he carried forward with unyielding conviction.
Names like P Krishna Pillai, who first recognised VS’s fire, and comrades like KR Gowriamma, TV Thomas, and CK Chandrappan, rise again in whispered conversations and stories shared among the gathered masses.
At Valiya Chudukadu, a new flame will join theirs — that of VS Achuthanandan, a leader who refused to be extinguished by time, factionalism, or defeat.
This is no ordinary farewell. This is the people’s final salute to one of their own — a titan of their dreams, a sentinel of their struggles, and a comrade in their hearts forever.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
