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About 800 members of Indonesia's who's who, as well as foreign dignitaries, made the trek up to the mausoleum at Mount Lawu to bid farewell to the man who led the world's most populous Muslim country for 32 years.
Outside, thousands more - some sobbing openly - thronged the narrow roads to watch the funeral hearse as it made its way there from Solo's Adi Sumarmo airport.
A farmer from Tawangmangu, Mr Paiti, 40, walked for two hours from his home hoping to get a first-hand view of the funeral.
'Pak Harto brought development to my village. He had his heart for the 'wong cilik' when he was president,' he said, referring to the common people, or the masses.
Mr Suharto died in Jakarta's Pertamina Hospital on Sunday afternoon at the age of 86 after battling lung, kidney and heart problems.
His body made its final journey in a Hercules C-130 military aircraft yesterday morning to Solo, where he spent part of his childhood.
The cortege, with the coffin covered by the Indonesian flag, transversed yellow-green rice fields, where ripened padi waited to be harvested.
It went past hanging banners proclaiming 'Selamat Jalan Pak Harto, Bapak Pembangunan (Farewell Pak Harto, Father of Development)', flags at half-mast outside huts and schoolchildren who clutched mini-flags and stared at the stream of black vehicles transporting the VIPs.
So large were the crowds that many dignitaries and officials heading to the ceremony found themselves caught in a traffic standstill on the narrow road up Mount Lawu, and had to hop on to villagers' motorcycles for the final 4km stretch to the mausoleum - the men dressed in dark suits, the women in kebayas and sarongs.
Tempers also flared when villagers were stopped by soldiers from entering the mausoleum to pay their respects.
Inside, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono presided over the burial ceremony.
Also present were representatives from Asean countries, including Singapore Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram and Bruneian Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah, as well as former Australian premier Paul Keating.
Professor H. Much. Syamsulhadi, rector of Solo's Sebelas Maret University, was among those paying his respects. 'Mr Suharto declared our university open in 1976. He believed in the importance of education and gave scholarships to children all over the country,' he said.
Mr Akbar Tandjung, former chairman of Mr Suharto's Golkar party, summed up his contributions thus: 'Economic growth, political stability and equality among all races.'
Accompanied by the sombre thud of a lone drum, Mr Suharto's casket arrived at the mausoleum at noon, carried by military pallbearers from the Kopassus, or special forces, regiment.
It was placed in a chamber with walls of intricately carved wood. In a corner, sacks of sand were stacked in preparation for the burial. As his body, wrapped in a shroud, was taken out of the funeral bier and lowered into the grave, a shot was fired by the military honour guard.
His children and grandchildren then tossed rose petals and jasmine flowers into the grave as a patriotic song, Gugur Bunga (Fallen Flowers), narrating the death of a patriotic soldier, was played by the military band.
A golden parasol was planted at the side of the headstone - an honour usually reserved for members of the nobility. An aide then broke open a young coconut to water the tomb and quench the thirst of the soul on its way to heaven, according to the Javanese tradition dear to Mr Suharto.
Mr Suharto was buried next to his late wife Tien, who died in 1996.
In his eulogy, Dr Yudhoyono read out Mr Suharto's military achievements, singling out the late leader's role in taking the city of Yogyakarta from the Dutch during the war for independence in 1949 and how Mr Suharto thwarted a coup attempt by communist elements on Sept 30, 1965.
'As a nation with a big heart, the government expresses its gratitude and the highest appreciation to the deceased,' he said.
He acknowledged that despite Mr Suharto's contributions to the country's development, the former leader had his weaknesses.
Dr Yudhoyono did not elaborate, but was alluding to criticisms against Mr Suharto, whose rule was marked by allegations of corruption, rights abuses and a lack of democracy. Mr Suharto stepped down in May 1998 following a pro-democracy uprising.
'But I urge fellow Indonesians to pray for his soul,' Dr Yudhoyono said.
Mr Suharto's eldest daughter, Ms Siti Hardiyati Rukmana, better known as Tutut, broke down in tears delivering her eulogy.
'If he ever did some wrong and sinned, may God grant his forgiveness,' she said. 'We also ask that, hopefully, all of you, sirs and madams, be willing to forgive all his mistakes and faults.
'Father, farewell father. Our prayers are always with you.'
