Source The Hindu
TEHRAN / BENGALURU — Amid massive crowds and a heavy atmosphere of geopolitical mourning, approximately 100 residents from Karnataka, India, were in attendance in Iran to pay their final respects at the multi-day state funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The attendees, a large portion of whom hail from the historic village of Alipura in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district, joined millions of mourners filling the streets of Tehran and the holy city of Qom.
A Shared History with Alipura
While some of the Karnataka attendees are medical students, professionals, and business owners already residing in Iran, dozens of others made a long-distance pilgrimage. Mourners traveled from Bengaluru to Tehran via Mumbai on a chartered Iran Air flight specifically to attend the delayed six-day funeral ceremonies.
The strong turnout from Chikkaballapur is rooted in a unique, decades-old historical connection. Ayatollah Khamenei had personally visited Alipura village during a historic visit to India in 1980 before assuming the supreme leadership. This personal history has fostered a lasting generational bond between the local Shia community in Karnataka and the Iranian clerical establishment.
“He was loved more than our father; this martyrdom has shaken our hearts and our souls,” said Faizan Raza, an Alipura resident who traveled to Iran for the services. “It was a absolute must for us to attend this final farewell.”
Massive Scale and Diplomatic Presence
The funeral procession, which moved from the packed gridlock of the capital city of Tehran to the courtyard of the Holy Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, has drawn participants from over 100 nations.
In addition to the grassroots citizens from southern India, a high-level official Indian political delegation also arrived in Tehran to reinforce bilateral ties. The delegation included:
Salman Khurshid, Former Foreign Minister and Congress leader
Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief
Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs
Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Ata Hasnain, Governor of Bihar
The Iranian Embassy in India issued a formal statement expressing deep gratitude to both the Indian government and the various community members who traveled to show solidarity.
Syed Hakim Raza, president of the Indo-Iran Chamber of Commerce and Industries, noted that the presence of both official representatives and ordinary citizens from states like Karnataka serves as a visual affirmation that “the historical and cultural bonds between Iran and India endure, even during times of severe regional hostility.”
Following the ceremonies in Qom, the funeral procession is slated to move toward the Hazrat Masumeh shrine and eventually conclude with a burial at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, fulfilling the late leader’s final wishes.
