Calcutta, Dec. 17: Gayatri Devi, the mother of Mamata Banerjee, passed away this morning at SSKM Hospital. She was 81.

The chief minister, who had gone to see her mother on her return from Delhi past Friday midnight, remained at home through the day. Her brothers and other relatives and Trinamul Congress leaders attended the last rites.

Gayatri Devi had been hospitalised on November 25 with chronic renal failure. Doctors said it had affected multiple organs.

Mamata had over the years frequently referred to her mother as a pillar of strength and “my only family”.

Her brother Kartik announced Gayatri Devi’s death. “She died at 8.35am,” he told a crowd waiting outside the hospital.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent his condolence message from Moscow. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar met the chief minister at her Harish Chatterjee Street home.

So did Left leaders Biman Bose, Surjya Kanta Mishra, Kshiti Goswami and Ashok Ghosh. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee sent a letter to Mamata condoling the death.

“I know how much grief a mother’s death causes. I have never been to her place. But I went there today because she has lost her mother and that void can never be filled,” Bose said. Goswami said the Left team was at Mamata’s home for “seven-eight minutes”. “We consoled her,” he added.

A Trinamul leader said: “She saw her mother for the last time on her return from Delhi. She was extremely attached to her mother.”

Trinamul leaders said Mamata had given clear instructions to the party leaders about the way in which the proceedings should be conducted. “Many of her well-wishers called her up and sent text messages. She answered all of them,” a close aide said.

At 10.55am, the family members left the hospital with the hearse. The family priest suggested that the rites be completed by 12.10pm. The message was passed on to local party leaders. Police were also told to ensure there was no unnecessary delay.

Trinamul leaders instructed party workers to arrange for vehicles. The convoy had a very brief stopover at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street but Mamata did not step out.

Trinamul sources said Mamata “didn’t want a spectacle” in her hour of grief and had instructed the family members and the party leaders to ensure the last rites were performed with minimum fuss so that common people were not inconvenienced.

The rituals at the Keoratala crematorium were completed by 1pm.

All party events scheduled for the day were cancelled.