Kalam's last journey in pics: Bharat bids adieu to its 'Ratna'

The mortal remains of former president APJ Abdul Kalam, who died on Monday, were taken from his ancestral house in Rameswaram to the local mosque ahead of the funeral as thousands of mourners -- young and old --poured into the island town to pay their last respects.

The mortal remains of former president APJ Abdul Kalam, who died on Monday, were taken from his ancestral house in Rameswaram to the local mosque ahead of the funeral as thousands of mourners -- young and old --poured into the island town to pay their last respects.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and a host of other dignitaries, including chief ministers of some states, took part in the last rites after 'Namaz-e-Janaza'.

The body of 83-year-old Kalam, who passed away in Shillong, was taken from the house around 9.30am to the mosque by the personnel of three services with the casket covered with traditional green shawl.

The Missile Man's death witnessed a huge outpouring of grief across the nation. In Delhi, thousands waited in the sultry heat for hours to pay their last respects to him. Serpentine queues were also witnessed in Rameswaram, where his body was brought on Wednesday.

The government has declared a national mourning for seven days in his honour.

Here are pictures of dignitaries and commoners paying their respects to the People's President:

The Tricolour flies at half-mast to mark the death of Kalam at Parliament House in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Sonu Mehta)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays his respect to Kalam during a ceremony at the Palam Airforce Station in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/ Vipin Kumar)

President Pranab Mukherjee and members of military staff salute Kalam's body at the Palam Airforce Station on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Vipin Kumar)

A girl holds flowers as children wait to pay tribute to Kalam as his body is transported from the airport to his house in New Delhi on July 28, 2015 (HT Photo/Ravi Choudhary)

Kalam's body is transported from the airport to his house in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Ravi Choudhary)

School children pay their last respect to Kalam as his body is transported from the airport to his house in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Sanjeev Verma)

People throng outside Kalam's residence in New Delhi to pay their respects. PTI Photo

People gather outside Kalam's residence in New Delhi to pay their respects. PTI Photo

School children pay their last respect to Kalam as his body is transported from the airport to his house in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Sanjeev Verma)

Students walk during a candlelight vigil in the memory of Kalam in Mumbai on July 28, 2015. AFP Photo

School children pray during the condolence meet for Kalam in Agartala on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

People pay their last respect to Kalam as his body is transported from the airport to his house in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Sanjeev Verma)

The Tricolour flies at half-mast to mark Kalam's death at the Red Fort in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Raj K Raj)

International sand artist Sudarshan Patanaik creates a sand sculpture to pay tribute to Kalam at the Golden Puri beach in Puri on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Arabinda Mahapatra)

Flags are displayed at half-mast at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Saumya Khandelwal)

A police officer stands guard at Kalam's residence, where his ailing brother waits for his body in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

Service personnel carry the mortal remains of Kalam from his residence in New Delhi to the airport from where his body will be taken to Rameswaram on a special aircraft on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Arun Sharma)

People take pictures with mobile phones as they catch a glimpse of Kalam's mortal remains in Tamil Nadu's Madurai on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Military personnel pay homage to Kalam at the Palam Airforce Station in New Delhi on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Sushil Kumar)

Kalam's mortal remains are brought to his hometown Rameswaram for last rites on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

Family members of Kalam grieve near his body at the Mandapam Helipad ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Tamil Nadu ministers pay their last respects to Kalam at the Mandapam Helipad ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

The body of the former president is placed in public for people to pay tribute in Rameshwaram on July 28, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

People throng in large numbers to pay their respect to Kalam in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

People pay their last respect to the former president in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

Tamil Nadu minister O Panneerselvam and other leaders pay their last respect as the mortal remains of the former president is brought to Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. (HT Photo/Vivek Nair)

People wait in a queue to pay their respects to Kalam at public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

DMDK leader Vijayakanth and other people pay their respects to Kalam at public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Former president Kalam's elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraicker and adviser V Ponraj are seen after paying their last respects at the public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Kalam's elder brother Maraicker pays his last respects in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Tamil Nadu ministers pay their last respects to former president Kalam at the public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

A child kisses former president Kalam's photo in Karnataka's Chikmagalur on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

Former Isro chairperson Madhavan Nair pays his last respects to Kalam at the public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

A boy pays his last respects to former president Kalam at the public view ground in Rameswaram on July 29, 2015. PTI Photo

School girls hold candles as they sit in front of a portrait of former president Kalam during a prayer ceremony in Chennai on July 28, 2015. Reuters Photo

Last rites of former president APJ Abdul Kalam being held at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. (ANI Photo)

Last rites of former president APJ Abdul Kalam being held at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. (ANI Photo)

Last rites of former president APJ Abdul Kalam being held at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. (ANI Photo)

Last rites of former president APJ Abdul Kalam being held at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. (ANI Photo)

With inputs from PTI, ANI, AFP