Nightingale of India cremated with full state honour

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar was cremated with full state honour in presence of thousands of grief-stricken people at the iconic Shivaji Park in India’s port city of Mumbai this evening, reports BSS.

The melody queen of Indian music breathed her last at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai this morning following multiple organ failures. She was 92.

Her death has brought an end to a splendid and decorated career in playback signing in films in different languages. Thousands of people gathered at the park to pay their last respect to the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar as the body of the great singer was kept at Shivaji Park this afternoon for the public.

Prior to the last rites, the national flag of India by which the body was wrapped was handed over to the family members. Hridaynath Mangeshkar, brother of Lata Mangeshkar, lit the funeral pyre of the great singer.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the deceased by placing wreaths at the casket of Lata Mangeshkar at a makeshift funeral place at around 2,000 sq. ft Shivaji Park.

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, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, among others, were also in attendance to pay their last respects.

Earlier, the body of Lata Mangeshkar was brought to the park by a vehicle decorated with white flowers from the deceased residence 'Prabhukunj', in Mumbai. The coffin, in which her body, was also wrapped in the national flag as the army marched along.

Bollywood stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Javed Akhtar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, among others, visited her home to pay their last respects.

Earlier, the Indian government has announced a two-day state national mourning in memory of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar when the national flag will fly half-mast as a mark of respect to the great singer.

Born on 28 September 1929 in Madhya Pradesh, Lata Mangeshkar took to signing in 1942 at an age of 13. In a career spanning over seven decades, the melody queen recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films.

She had sung songs in over 36 regional Indian and foreign languages. The acclaimed singer was awarded the highest civilian award “Bharat Ratna” in 2001 in recognition of her contribution in the musical arena.

She is only the second vocalist after MS Subbulakshmi to receive “Bharat Ratna”. She was also honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushana, Dada Saheb Phalke, and three National film awards.

Lata Mangeshkar is survived by her four younger siblings –Asha Bhosle, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar, and Meena Mangeshkar.