The body of Bal Thackeray is carried on a vehicle during his funeral procession in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters carry a cut-out of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray before his cremation at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
A portrait of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray is pictured through the heat haze rising from his cremation pyre during his funeral at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Smoke rises from the cremation pyre of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray as family members, dignitaries and Shiv Sena party members watch during his funeral in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party carry a portrait of Bal Thackeray before his funeral procession in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party watch the funeral procession of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray from a residential building, in Mumbai November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party throw flowers as Uddhav Thackeray, son of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray, who is clasping his hands to thank supporters, during Bal Thackeray's funeral procession in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Police officers and mourners sit on the vehicle carrying Bal Thackeray during his funeral procession in Mumbai, November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party hold the party flag during the funeral procession of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray in Mumbai November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party watch the funeral procession of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray from a residential building, in Mumbai November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Supporters of the Shiv Sena party carry a portrait of right-wing Hindu nationalist politician Bal Thackeray in front of the party headquarters during his funeral procession in Mumbai November 18, 2012.Reuters 
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (L) and Bal Thackeray (R) wave to the crowd during an election campaign rally in Mumbai on 23 April, 2004. (Reuters file photo)Reuters 
Bal Thackeray (R), leader of the militant Shiv Sena Party gestures during a meeting with Kenneth Lay, chairman of the U.S. based Enron Corp, in Bombay, July 11, 2001.Reuters 
Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, singer Lata Mangeshkar, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and Bal Thackeray appear during a concert in Mumbai, late March 5, 2001. The concert was organised by Shiv Sena Party to collect funds in aid of quake relief.Reuters 
BJP leader L.K.Advani (R) meets Bal Thackeray in Mumbai July 6, 2000.Reuters
The mortal remains of Shiv Sena party chief Bal Thackeray was cremated at Shivaji Park on Sunday following a moving funeral procession from his Matoshree residence to the final destination where he was given full state honours.
The 86-year-old Shiv Sena supremo died of cardio-respiratory arrest in Mumbai at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday after a pro-longed illness.
[PHOTOS OF BAL THACKERAY'S FINAL JOURNEY]
The Shiv Sena was granted a special permission to perform the last rites of their leader at the Shivaji Park, as the venue has special significance for the party supremo. It was at this park where Thackeray launched his political party in 1966 and held several rallies over the years including the announcement of his retirement from public life last month.
About two lakh people gathered at the park as the mortal remains of the leader was consigned to flames. Uddhav, son of Bal Thackeray, lit the funeral pyre as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief and nephew of the deceased Raj Thackeray looked on. The last rites were performed at 6 p.m.
The funeral procession started at 9:00 a.m. from his Matoshree residence towards the Shivaji Park with lakhs of people from across the state taking part to pay their last respect to their leader.
A three-tier security comprising of the Mumbai police, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the party volunteers was provided for the funeral procession and about 48,000 policemen deployed in Mumbai to ensure peace and calm in the city.
Born on January 23, 1926, Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray started his career as a cartoonist with an English daily -- The Free Press Journal -- in Mumbai and went on to start his own weekly Marmik in which he campaigned against the influence of people from other states in Maharashtra.
In 1966, he formed the Shiv Sena to fight for the rights of the Maharashtrians. It later allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the common Hindu nationalism ideology and even formed the government together in the state in 1995 after winning the state Assembly elections.
