Shakuntala Bangarappa, wife of former chief minister S Bangarappa, was cremated at Bangaradhama at Sorab on Wednesday.
Her sons Madhu Bangarappa and Kumar Bangarappa lit the funeral pyre at 4.10 pm beside the place where Bangarappa was also cremated. With this, speculations on who will light the pyre was also laid to rest.
Vidwan Narayan Bhat led the rituals. Barring some stray incidents at Kubatur village when Kumar Bangarappa came to pay his last respects to his mother in the morning, the funeral was peaceful.
Prior to the last rites, family members and followers of Madhu and Kumar started a verbal duel. However, the brothers tried to pacify them and along with the police, the situation was brought under control. The body of Shakuntala was brought from Bangalore to Kubatur at 5.40 am on Wednesday. Hundreds of women and relatives had gathered in front of Bangara Nivas.
Later, the body was taken to Sorab in a vehicle accompanied by her sons and daughters, daughters-in-law, grandchildren and relatives. In the afternoon, the body was kept on public display at the Government PU College ground.
Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa, Renukananda Swamiji of Solur Mutt, Nandigudi Swamiji, Hagaribommanahalli MLA MP Ravindra, film producer Chenne Gowda, Karwar Congress district president and brother of Shakuntala Bangarappa Bheemanna Naik, Bhadravati MLA M J Appaji, Harihar MLA Shivashankar, Shimoga Rural MLA Sharada Poorya Naik, JD(S) district president M Srikanth, actor Gurudut, Bangarappa Vichara Vedike president Venugopal Naik, Hosanagar former MLA Dr G D Narayanappa, district Arya Idiga Sangha president Sridhar R Hultikoppa and others attended the last rites.