Thursday, November 10 2005 10:34 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Former President K R Narayanan, who died here yesterday (Nov 9, 2005) after prolonged illness, had wished that his last rites be performed by sanyasis of the Santhigiri Ashram, a renowed spiritual centre near Thiruvananthapuram.

The octogenarian diplomat-turned-President from Kerala had left a word with the Prime Minister's Office that his last rights be conducted by the Ashram, a spokesman of the centre said here.

He said on PMO's special request, the Ashram is sending a group of sanyasis for the funeral ceremony.

The Ashram said Narayanan had close association with the centre at Pothencode, around 15 km from Thiruvananthapuram and had played a vital role in opening the Mutt's branch in the national capital.

He was attached to the deep links between spirituality and Ayurveda and Siddha, India's ancient systems of healing and well being, which was emphasised by the Ashram spiritual leader Karunakara Guru, the spokesman said.

"It was thus that K R Narayanan's ancestral home in Uzhavoor in Kerala came to be donated to the Santigiri Ashram so that a research centre in Ayurveda and Siddha could be set up there," he said.

The centre was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Kerala earlier this year.