RIP 'Nightingale of India': Draped in tricolour, Lata Didi embarks on her final journey
MUMBAI: Singing legend Lata Mangeshkar's mortal remains, draped in the national flag, were taken in a truck from her residence in south Mumbai to Shivaji Park in Dadar on Sunday evening for the funeral, which will be held with full state honours.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, noted actor Anupam Kher, lyricist Javed Akhtar and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali were among those who paid tributes to Mangeshkar at her residence on Pedder Road in south Mumbai, located about 8 km from the Shivaji Park, before her mortal remains were taken for the last rites.
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.
She died in a hospital here on Sunday morning following multi-organ failure.
Before Mangeshkar's mortal remains were kept in the truck decked with flowers and a huge photograph of the singer, the police and military personnel gave a ceremonial salute and a band played the national anthem.
Some of her family members, including sister and veteran singer Asha Bhosale, accompanied the mortal remains in the truck.
Maharashtra Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray was present on the occasion.
Those who paid tributes to Mangeshkar at her residence included Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta Nanda, filmmakers Ashutosh Gowariker, Madhur Bhandarkar, actor Shraddha Kapoor and music composer Lalit Pandit.
The truck, escorted by a military police jeep, will move through the Haji Ali junction, Worli Naka, Poddar Hospital Chowk, Old Passport Office, Siddhivinayak temple, Cadel Road and later reach the Shivaji Park in Dadar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Mumbai on Sunday afternoon to attend the funeral.
The 92-year-old singer's funeral will be performed with full state honours at Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai around 6.30 pm.
The mortal remains of the singing icon are being taken from her Pedder Road residence Prabhu Kunj to Shivaji Park.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal earlier said they have arranged about 25 kg of sandalwood for Mangeshkar's cremation along with other necessary things.
Around 2,000 sq ft of the park's area has been barricaded for the funeral proceedings, a BMC official said.
Modi's website highlighted on Sunday the "special bond" between him and Lata Mangeshkar and noted that the legendary singer had in 2013 said she prays to God to see him as India's prime minister.
"Lata Didi had immense affection for Prime Minister Modi," the write up on the website stated.
Noting that both shared the same birthday month, it said she used to affectionately call him 'Narendra Bhai'.
In 2013, when Modi was chief minister of Gujarat, he was invited by her and her family to inaugurate a super-speciality hospital in Pune which was built in memory of her late father Deenanath Mangeshkar.
"During the event, Lata Didi had said, 'I pray to God that we see Narendra Bhai as PM'. Lata Didi had said this much before 2014 elections," it stated, sharing a video clip of the event.
Mangeshkar, who passed away earlier in the day at an age of 92 years, used to wish him on Raksha Bandhan every year and had expressed anguish when she couldn't send Rakhi to him because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the write up stated.
The website noted that the prime minister in an episode of 'Mann Ki Baat' had shared a telephonic conversation he had with her before leaving for his US trip.
It was like a younger brother talking lovingly to his elder sister, he had said.
Recounting his personal relationship with the iconic singer, bestowed with Bharat Ratna, Modi had recalled how she always treated him to Gujarati delicacies whenever he had the opportunity to meet her.
In the same conversation, after Modi had highlighted the high regard in which she is held, the prime minister said she had replied, "Even you (PM) don't know what you really are. I know that the picture of India is changing with your arrival and that makes me very happy. It makes me feel very good."
Mangeshkar had also said that she took Modi's mother's blessings on her birthdays.
If one looks at the greetings exchanged between them on their birthdays, one can see the mutual affection and warmth between them, the website said.
"It is indeed a sad day for the nation that Lata Didi has passed away. But her voice will still reverberate across the country. This year at the Beating Retreat Ceremony at the behest of PM Modi, the tune 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' was played". This song which was sung by Lata Didi instils the spirit of patriotism in the heart of every Indian," it said.