Thousands of grieving folks thronged Pashupati to watch the last rites of the late leader.
Koirala's nephews Atul and Sudhamshu Koirala lit the funeral pyre as per Hindu rites while a 12-gun salute was fired by the Nepal Army at Sundhara in honor of the former prime minister under whose watch the Constituent Assembly endorsed the new constitution. Prior to the gun salute, an army contingent presented a farewell salute and rendered the national anthem at Aryaghat.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Speaker Onsari Gharti, former prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, ministers, leaders of various parties, diplomats from various countries, lawmakers, civil rights activists and other personalities reached Pashupati to pay their last tributes to Koirala. Similarly, relatives, party cadres and members of the general public also reached there to pay him tributes for the last time.
Prime Minister Oli draped Koirala's body with the national flag in final tribute while others present at Aryaghat paid floral tributes. Supporters of Koirala present on the occasion chanted "Sushil Da Zindabad".
Before being taken to Aryaghat, Koirala's body was kept at Dasharath Stadium Tuesday for the general public and foriegn delegates to pay their tributes.
A delegation from Bhutan led by Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs Lyonpo Dawa Gyaltsen paid last tributes to the late former prime minister and Nepali Congress president, Wednesay. Similarly, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali visited Kathmandu Wednesday and paid tribute. On Tuesday, a delegation led by Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj paid tribute to the late leader.
The funeral procession started at around 2:00 p.m. The procession passed by Thapathali, Singha Durbar, Putalisadak, Kamal Pokhari, Gyaneshwar, Kalopul and Gaushala to reach Pashupati Aryaghat. All senior leaders of the Nepali Congress including Acting President Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, General Secretaries Prakashman Singh and Krishna Prasad Situala, other party leaders, cadres, family members, relatives and members of the public joined the funeral procession.
Koirala had breathed his last at his Maharajgunj residence Tuesday at age 78.
Related story
Final rites of artist Adhikari conducted at Pashupati Aryaghat
