Pune: From political leaders and sportsmen to businessmen and other people, thousands of followers of Dada J P Vaswani paid tribute to the spiritual leader on Friday.Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran LK Advani could not keep his emotions under check while paying tribute. Former President Pratibha Patil and former cricketer Chandu Borde were among the others at the Sadhu Vaswani Mission where the last rites were performed with full state honour.Sister Krishna Kumari, working chairperson of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, lit the havan from which the funeral pyre was lit by Babaji, the spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas.Some followers flew from abroad to pay tribute to Dada Vaswani who passed away on Thursday in Pune. He was 99 and a few days short of his 100th birthday on August 2.A multitude of people turned up to join the long procession on the streets of Pune to mark the final journey of their spiritual leader which started from Sadhu Vaswani Mission near Pune station in the afternoon.Vaswani, head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission for over five decades, influenced thousands through his books and talks. He had been admitted to hospital for age-related problems three weeks ago. His condition deteriorated a couple of days ago.A truck covered with transparent glass and white flowers carried his body. It was draped in the tricolour and then placed in the glass casket. Chants of ‘Dadaji Amar Rahe’ rent the air that was already heavy with emotion. The Maharashtra police gave a gun salute just before the cremation.The truck slowly wound its way past the approximately four km route passing through M G Road, Babajan Chowk, Nehru Memorial hall, police commissionerate, with a portrait of a smiling Dada Vaswani visible from a distance.The truck was followed by bhajan singers throughout the procession that was well managed by the mission’s volunteers.Throughout the day, the premises of the mission resonated with continuous chants of 'Baba Shyam'.Among the prominent personalities who attended the funeral were guardian minister Girish Bapat, minister of state for social justice Dileep Kamble and district collector Naval Kishore Ram. Bishop of Pune Thomas Dabre, Buddhist leader Bhante Rajratanji, Giani Mangal Singh from the Dighi Gurudwara were among the religious leaders from other communities who offered their condolences with a message to the followers who had gathered.Since Friday, hundreds of teary-eyed followers of Dada Vaswani, many carrying flowers, queued up at the mission for a final ‘darshan’ of their spiritual leader.Advani did not speak media persons, president Ram Nath Kovind’s message was read out and a wreath was laid by collector Naval Kishore Ram on his behalf.

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