Lata Mangeshkar funeral: India's Nightingale laid to rest, PM Modi, Uddhav Thackeray, Shah Rukh Khan pay last respects

Late singer Lata Mangeshkar took her final journey from her home Prabhu Kunj this afternoon wrapped in a tri-colored flag. The funeral of the legendary singer took place at the Shivaji Park with full state honours in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray along with several other dignitaries arriving at the venue to pay their last respects to the late Bharat Ratan awardee.

Songs of the late singer were played at the funeral grounds during preparations while fans lined up the road to see the nation’s beloved Lata didi for one last time. Slogans were chanted while several police officers maintained order as the funeral procession passed.

Several fans and followers of the 92 year old singer also queued up to pay homage at Shivaji Park before the last rites. The State Honour Guard paid a 21 gun salute to the deceased singer while the nation remains in mourning for two days.

Lovingly called the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar's last rites were performed by a group of 8 priests following what is called the Mantragni ritual. Head priest Satish Ghodge informed in a statement that the ritual is a chanting of mantras to pray for the deceased which went on for half an hour. Lata's nephew Aadinath Mangeshkar performed the last rites, he is the son of her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar .

Among family, Lata Mangeshkar’s siblings Usha Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle and Hridaynath were present for the last rites. Others also present at the last rites were Shah Rukh Khan , Ranbir Kapoor , Aamir Khan , Sachin Tendulkar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Raj Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. 

Lata Mangeshkar was born in 1929 in Indore and had a career of nearly eight decades in the music industry in which she sang thousands of songs and enthralled the nation with the power of her voice.

She died on Sunday morning after suffering multiple organ failure in the ICU of the Breach Candy Hospital where she was admitted for the past 28 days after contracting the Covid-19 infection.