There were emotional scenes as the funeral took place
Nelson
Mandela's body has been laid to rest in a family plot, after political
and religious leaders paid tribute to South Africa's first black
president at a state funeral service.
His widow, Graca Machel, and President Jacob Zuma were
present for the private, traditional Xhosa burial at Mr Mandela's
ancestral home in Qunu.Mr Zuma had earlier told the larger funeral service that South Africans had to take his legacy forward.
Mr Mandela died on 5 December aged 95.
A close friend, Ahmed Kathrada, told mourners at the service he had lost an "elder brother" who was with him for many years in prison on Robben island.
Mr Mandela's casket was carried by the military, accompanied by family and friends, from a specially-erected marquee up a hill to the graveside.
Before his coffin was lowered into the grave, South African military helicopters and jets staged a fly-past, cannons fired a 21-gun salute and a bugler played the last post.
The BBC's Pumza Fihlani said it was a fitting send-off for a man widely seen as the "father of the nation".
'A great tree has fallen' The final day of South Africa's 10-day commemoration for its late leader began with his coffin taken on a gun carriage from Mr Mandela's house to a giant marquee.
Members of the family had attended an overnight vigil, where a traditional praise singer is believed to have chanted details of his long journey and life.
South African military helicopters staged a fly-past as Mr Mandela's coffin was interred
Earlier some 4,500 people - including foreign dignitaries - attended the state funeral
President Zuma sat between Mr Mandela's widow Graca Machel and his ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela
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South Africa's "father of the nation" is back with his people
in Qunu, his body now resting in this remote village. The former
statesman was buried after former comrades, African leaders and his
family spoke movingly of their love for Nelson Mandela and what he had
taught them.
His granddaughter Nandi described him as a man with a sense of humour, saying the family would miss his laughter and smile. It was a sombre ceremony, a marked departure from the singing and celebration we had seen all week.
Mr Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, sat dazed, looking into the distance throughout the ceremony. Next to her sat President Jacob Zuma and Madiba's ex-wife, Winnie, who also seemed grief-stricken.
A few hundred metres from the marquee where the ceremony was held, hundreds of villagers watched the proceedings from a large screen, on a hill overlooking Mr Mandela's house.
Before the coffin was lowered into the ground, jets took to the blue skies above Qunu, in salute of democratic South Africa's first president.
The crowd watched and very little was said. They waved and some screamed. "Who will be our father?" cried one woman. And that is the question on many people's minds here - who will now be the father of this nation?
Analysis
His granddaughter Nandi described him as a man with a sense of humour, saying the family would miss his laughter and smile. It was a sombre ceremony, a marked departure from the singing and celebration we had seen all week.
Mr Mandela's widow, Graca Machel, sat dazed, looking into the distance throughout the ceremony. Next to her sat President Jacob Zuma and Madiba's ex-wife, Winnie, who also seemed grief-stricken.
A few hundred metres from the marquee where the ceremony was held, hundreds of villagers watched the proceedings from a large screen, on a hill overlooking Mr Mandela's house.
Before the coffin was lowered into the ground, jets took to the blue skies above Qunu, in salute of democratic South Africa's first president.
The crowd watched and very little was said. They waved and some screamed. "Who will be our father?" cried one woman. And that is the question on many people's minds here - who will now be the father of this nation?
Inside the marquee, Nelson Mandela's portrait stood behind 95 candles, representing one for each year of his life.
His casket, draped in the South African flag, was placed
beneath a lectern where speakers paid their tributes. Some guests sang
and danced to celebrate Mr Mandela's life as the service began.After the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel'I Africa (God Bless Africa) was sung, the service heard from a family spokesman, Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, who thanked the army medical team that had treated Mr Mandela before he died.. "A great tree has fallen, he is now going home to rest with his forefathers. We thank them for lending us such an icon."
Mr Kathrada's voice filled with emotion as he spoke of the difficulty of recent months and of how he had held his friend's hand the last time he saw him in hospital. "Farewell my dear brother, my mentor, my leader," he said.
Two grandchildren then addressed the congregation. Ndaba who read an obituary, and Nandi, who spoke fondly of her grandfather as a disciplinarian. "We shall miss you... your stern voice when you are not pleased with our behaviour. We shall miss your laughter."
Listening to the tributes were Graca Machel, his widow, and his second wife, Winnie-Madikizela Mandela, who sat either side of President Jacob Zuma.
Both women were praised for their love and tolerance, in an address by Malawi's President Joyce Banda.
Grandson Ndaba Mandela reads an obituary
Archbishop Desmond Tutu - a long-time friend of Nelson Mandela - is there, having earlier said he had cancelled his flight as he had not received an invitation. US talk show host Oprah Winfrey is also present.
While the service took place, a 21-gun salute sounded far away in Pretoria.
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