Nation bids emotional farewell to Asha Bhosle at Mumbai's Shivaji Park crematorium

Political leaders and other dignitaries pay their respects to Asha Bhosle at the Late Bhagoji Baluji Keer Hindu Crematorium in Shivaji Park, Dadar, on Monday. Pic/Ashish Raje

Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle was laid to rest with full state honours at the Late Bhagoji Baluji Keer Hindu Crematorium in Shivaji Park, Dadar West, on Monday.

Public figures, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, his deputies Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar and Bollywood actors Aamir Khan, Vicky Kaushal, and Vivek Oberoi, attended the funeral and paid their respects at the crematorium.

Police personnel stand guard outside the crematorium during the ceremony. Pic/Satej Shinde

As per arrangements made by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the general public was restricted from accessing the crematorium when the ceremony was underway.

Preparations, which started early on Monday morning, also included barricading around the crematorium perimeter, keeping fire engines on standby and deploying police personnel, and security was tightened around noon.

Ayushi Tiwari

State dignitaries arrived at the crematorium around 3.30 pm, and the funeral cortège reached the spot an hour later. Following this, a formal respect-paying ceremony culminating in a three-volley salute was held, and the mortal remains of the legend were consigned to flames around 5.30 pm.

Describing his feelings while saluting the legendary singer, the leader of the rifle party, Ramesh Lokhande, API, Maharashtra Police, simply said, "Achha laga".

400
No. of police personnel stationed at Shivaji Park

Musical tributes

Before the pyre was lit, singers Shaan, Sudesh Bhosle, and Anup Jalota sought to honour the icon with vocal performances. Sudesh Bhosle, who sang Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana, eulogised, "She left us in her advanced years, but it still feels like, "Abhi Abhi to aayi ho .... Asha ji abhi na jao chod kar ki dil abhi bhara nahi".

Shaan performed Pyaar Ke Mod Pe while paying tribute to the artiste who recorded at least 12,000 songs over an eight-decade career that started when she was just 10.

Security arrangements

DS Choudhary. Pic/Sarthak Mehta

DS Choudhary, fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade
Senior Police Inspector Vilas Dater of the Shivaji Park police station told mid-day that 400 police personnel and 300 Home Guard volunteers were involved in the security arrangements at the crematorium. DS Choudhary, fire officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade, said, "We have a fire engine ready with preloaded water hoses deployed across the crematorium."

Tearful mourners eulogise legend

Ramesh Thakkar and Bharti Thakkar. Pics/Sarthak Mehta

Ramesh Thakkar, 70, Matunga resident
‘I've been listening to Ashaji's songs since my youth. Whenever I am feeling down, her music helps me. I adore her voice. I am here to pay my respects. I pray her reincarnation has the same voice'

Bharti Thakkar, 63
‘I've been listening to Ashaji for five decades. She is the most played singer at our house. I felt a strong urge to come here and catch a glance of her mortal remains, but unfortunately, entry is restricted at the crematorium'

The last rites

Pandit Sujit Chinchadkar. Pic/Satej Shinde

Pandit Sujit Chinchadkar
A team of over six priests, including Pandits Sujit Chinchadkar, Prakash Bhat, and Kiran Ghogate, performed the last rites. Pandit Chinchadkar said, "Ashaji's family hails from the Goa region [Bhosle's family, the Mangeshkars, has its roots in the Goan village of Mangeshi], thus the rituals were carried out accordingly. We had performed the rituals for [her elder sister] Lataji as well. Now we are here to serve Ashaji's soul as well."

Industry mourns

Mandar Ahluwalia

Mandar Ahluwalia, film director and producer
‘She is a legend. I knew her for nearly a decade. She was very humble. She was called the Koyal of Bollywood for a reason. She was the last of the melody queens'