Singing legend Lata Mangeshkar, who enthralled millions with her divine voice for eight decades, was cremated with full state honours in Mumbai on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the luminaries from politics and entertainment industry present at her funeral at Shivaji Park in Dadar area in the evening.
Modi paid floral tribute to Lata at Shivaji Park and performed a parikrama of her mortal remains. The PM expressed his condolences to Lata Mangeshkar's sister and singer Asha Bhosle, and the rest of her family.
He left the venue soon after, reportd PTI from Mumbai.
Floral tributes were also paid to her at Shivaji Park on behalf of President Ram Nath Kovind.
Lata's brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar lit the funeral pyre of the singing legend, who died at 92 in a hospital here on Sunday morning after multi-organ failure.
Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, actors Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and MNS chief Raj Thackeray were among those present at the funeral.
The mortal remains of Lata Mangeshkar, draped in the national flag, were taken in a truck from her residence in south Mumbai to Shivaji Park for the last rites.
A large number of people thronged the roads from where the cortege passed as the melody queen embarked on her final journey.
Among those in attendance at the funeral were Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, megastar Shah Rukh Khan, lyricist Javed Akhtar and cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.
A recipient of the Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Awards, Lata Mangeshkar was an icon of Indian cinema, having sung playback for an extensive list of Hindi films.
One of the famous episodes of her life is when her music moved Jawaharlal Nehru to tears. On January 27, 1963 during the backdrop of the India-China war, Lata Mangeshkar sang Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon in the presence of the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, bringing him to tears.
Tributes also poured in from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, reported ndtv.com.
"With the death of Lata Mangeshkar the subcontinent has lost one of the truly great singers the world has known. Listening to her songs has given so much pleasure to so many people all over the world," Khan tweeted.
Lata Mangeshkar, who belonged to a prominent musical family, also composed music as well as produced a handful of films. Popularly known as the “Nightingale of India”, Lata had sung over 50,000 songs in 14 languages since the radio debut in 1941.
The central government has announced a two-day "state mourning" on the death of legendary singer. The national flag will fly at half- mast from February 6 to February 7 throughout India and there will be no official entertainment in this period.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying tributes to the departed singer after the news of her demise was announced by her sister, Usha.
Modi said he was “anguished beyond words” over the demise of Lata Mangeshkar. “The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people,” he tweeted.
President Kovind said Lata's demise was "heart-breaking". He tweeted, "In her vast range of songs, rendering the essence and beauty of India, generations found expression of their inner-most emotions. A Bharat Ratna, Lata-ji’s accomplishments will remain incomparable.”
Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Javed Akhtar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali were among those who visited her home to pay their last respects.
PM Modi with bereaved family at Shivaji Park Twitter/@narendramodi
The Mumbai Police had beefed up security in and around Shivaji Park where the funeral of India’s nightingale Lata Mangeshkar is taking place. Around 2,000 sq ft of the park’s area has been barricaded for the funeral proceedings, a BMC official said, reports India.com
The city police have also issued a traffic advisory in view of several prominent personalities from the film industry, politicians, and well-wishers of the late singer expected to arrive at the funeral site to pay their last tributes.
The last rites of the legendary singer are scheduled to be held at 6.30 pm this evening. Her mortal remains have already been taken from the hospital to her home ‘Prabhu Kunj’ in Mumbai.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying tributes to the departed singer early in the day after the news of her demise was announced by her sister, Usha.
Modi said he was “anguished beyond words” over the demise of Lata Mangeshkar. “The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people,” he tweeted.
President Kovind said Lata's demise was "heart-breaking". He tweeted, "In her vast range of songs, rendering the essence and beauty of India, generations found expression of their inner-most emotions. A Bharat Ratna, Lata-ji’s accomplishments will remain incomparable.”
Earlier, Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Javed Akhtar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali were among those who visited her home to pay their last respects.
Wrapped in the Tricolour, legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar begins her final journey. A large number of people also thronged the roads from where the cortege passed as the 92-year-old melody queen embarked on her final journey.
According to a Mumbai Police official, barricading has been done at some key spots near her residence on Pedder Road in south Mumbai and the Shivaji Park. The traffic police have deployed extra personnel in the Dadar area for regulating the vehicular movement, the official said. An extra police force and dog squads have also been deployed at Shivaji Park, he added.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach the funeral ground at around 5:45-6:00pm today, after which Lata Mangeshkar's last rites will be conducted at around 6:15-6:30pm," said Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal.
The 92-year-old singer passed way this morning after having tested positive for Covid-19 with mild symptoms and was admitted on January 8 to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital’s intensive care unit.
The Central government has announced a two-day state mourning on February 6 and 7 in her honour. The national flag will fly at half-mast on Sunday and Monday throughout India and a state funeral will be accorded to her.
The singer's body being taken for last rites PTI :Picture
