The funeral procession in Gangtok on Wednesday. Picture by Prabin Khaling

Gangtok, Dec. 10: Pema Tseuden Yapshi Pheunkhang Lacham Kusho, the sister of the 12th and the last king of Sikkim Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal, who died on December 2, was cremated today.

The 84-year-old woman breathed her last in Calcutta.

A large number of people from all walks of life attended the funeral procession that was taken out from her residence at Development Area to the royal crematorium at Luskhyama, the hill above Gangtok.

The Sikkim government declared a state holiday today as a mark of respect to the princess.

The eldest daughter of Tashi Namgyal, the 11th Chogyal of Sikkim, was widely known as Princess Coocoola. She had married the governor of Gyantse province in Tibet and settled down in India with business interests in Calcutta and the neighbouring region.

Condoling the death, governor Balmiki Prasad Singh, who was on a tour to Delhi, said her death had snatched away “a lady of enormous charm, grace and wisdom”.

Chief minister Pawan Chamling expressed grief. “Sikkim has lost a very able, wise and a distinguished figure in her death,” he said in his message. The Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee also condoled the death of the royal family member.