MYSURU: People from all walks of life bid a tearful farewell to legendary playback singer S Janaki as she was cremated with full state honours at a farmhouse in Kaniyanahundi village on HD Kote Road near Mysuru on Sunday evening, fulfilling her cherished wish of spending her final days and having her last rites performed in the city she had come to call home.
Her granddaughter Apsara Vydyula performed the last rites in accordance with the family’s traditions in the presence of close relatives, friends, government officials and hundreds of admirers. The solemn ceremony was marked by a ceremonial guard of honour by the Karnataka government. A devotee of Lord Krishna, she was laid to rest with an idol of the deity in her hands during her final rites.
Earlier in the day, Janaki’s mortal remains were kept at the Maharaja’s College Grounds, where thousands of fans, musicians, film personalities and political leaders paid their final respects. Emotional scenes unfolded as people from different walks of life queued up for hours to catch a last glimpse of the singer whose timeless voice had defined South Indian cinema for more than six decades.
Extensive arrangements had been made at the Kaniyanahundi farmhouse for the funeral. Barricades were erected from the approach road to the cremation site, while police personnel were deployed to regulate the large gathering and ensure smooth conduct of the funeral.
Known as the “Nightingale of South India”, Janaki shared a special bond with Mysuru. The city not only became her final home but also witnessed her last public stage performance.
SINGER had a quiet life in Bogadi in her final years
At her last concert in October 2017 in Mysuru, despite her advancing age, she mesmerised the audience with memorable Kannada songs. Her affection for Mysuru only deepened over the years. For nearly two years, she lived quietly at a house in Bogadi.
She was attended to by her caretaker Naveen and his family. Naveen, who has named his furniture showroom in Bogadi “S Janaki Furniture and Timbers” as a tribute to the singer, said Janaki had developed an emotional attachment to Mysuru and wanted her final rites performed here.
The farmhouse where she was cremated belonged to him and the family honoured her last wish. He said that as promised, authorities must rename the Gaddige road as S Janaki road in honour of her.
