Light rain turned to a heavy downpour at around midday, prompting a sea of umbrellas to go up along the route.

Lee’s coffin, protected from the downpour by a glass case, lay atop a ceremonial gun carriage led solemnly past city landmarks. Walking slowly in the coffin’s wake as it exited parliament were Lee’s son, the current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong, other family members and government officials.

Crowds along the route chanted “Lee Kuan Yew,” snapped photos with smartphones held aloft and waved Singapore’s  flag. Four howitzers fired a 21-gun salute, while air force fighter jets streaked over the island, with one peeling off in a “missing man” formation, as navy patrol ships blasted horns.

The expansive show of emotion is a rare event for Singapore and its 5.5 million people.

Lee was Singapore’s prime minister for more than three decades, ruling with an iron grip until 1990, and is regarded by Singaporeans as the architect of their nation’s prosperity and harmonious race relations.

“He did everything for us Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion,” said Jennie Yeo, a 58-year-old teacher, who arrived at 7am to stake out front row positions with two friends. “Education, housing, everything you can think of, he’s taken care of for us,” she said.

Leaders and dignitaries from more than two dozen countries are attending the state funeral. The U.S. delegation is led by former President Bill Clinton. Prime ministers attending from Singapore’s Asian neighbors include India’s Narendra Modi and Japan’s Shinzo Abe.

Abroad, India has declared a national day of mourning and in New Zealand, the government is flying flags at half-staff.

Peter Wang, 64, explained why he and his wife had turned out to pay their respects. "He did a lot for my generation and the next generation. People can easily have their own housing."

Wang recalled his childhood in a cramped subdivided two-storey house used by a number of families. His family then moved to a two-room Housing Development Board (HDB) flat, built by Lee's government in large numbers to make housing affordable to the masses. Now Wang owns a four-room HDB flat.

A 70-year-old Singapore-born Chinese woman, who gave her name as Liew, told the South China Morning Post on her way to the Padang, "In the past 50 years, Lee has governed Singapore well. I've come to pay my respects to him. I feel sad. I have shed tears for him."

Roopesh Shenoy, an Indian national, said he attended the occasion "just to pay a tribute to one of the greatest leaders".

"If not for his leadership, people like me would not have gotten the opportunity to work in one of the best countries in the world," said Shenoy, a hospitality executive who has lived in Singapore for four years.
Many people wore black ribbons and waved Singapore flags, distributed by volunteers.

"We are giving away flags so people can wave them at Mr Lee Kuan Yew. The uncle told me to give away the flags," said a little boy, Wee York Ping, who did not identify the man who gave him the flags.

When asked what he felt about Lee, Wee at first shrugged his shoulders, then said, "I feel sad. He made Singapore what it is today."

Kenneth Tan, 37, said he was one of the volunteers handing out flags. He said he was not under any order from an organisation to do so. A company, which he did not name, printed the flags, but he did not work for that company, Tan said.

Explaining why he had volunteered, Tan said: "It's the only chance for us to commemorate Lee Kuan Yew before he gets cremated."

At the conclusion of the state funeral at 5.15pm, Lee's body will be taken to Mandai Crematorium to be cremated at a private ceremony.