Nation bids emotional farewell to Asha Bhosle at Shivaji Park crematorium

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 MondayPublic 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 crematoriumPolice personnel stand guard outside the crematorium during the ceremony PicSatej ShindeAs per arrangements made by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC the general public was restricted from accessing the crematorium when the ceremony was underwayPreparations 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 noonAyushi TiwariState dignitaries arrived at the crematorium around 330 pm and the funeral cortegravege reached the spot an hour later Following this a formal respectpaying ceremony culminating in a threevolley salute was held and the mortal remains of the legend were consigned to flames around 530 pmDescribing his feelings while saluting the legendary singer the leader of the rifle party Ramesh Lokhande API Maharashtra Police simply said ldquoAchha lagardquo400No of police personnel stationed at Shivaji ParkMusical tributesBefore 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 ldquoShe left us in her advanced years but it still feels like ldquoAbhi Abhi to aayi ho Asha ji abhi na jao chod kar ki dil abhi bhara nahirdquoShaan performed Pyaar Ke Mod Pe while paying tribute to the artiste who recorded at least 12000 songs over an eightdecade career that started when she was just 10Security arrangementsDS Choudhary PicSarthak MehtaDS Choudhary fire officer Mumbai Fire BrigadeSenior Police Inspector Vilas Dater of the Shivaji Park police station told midday 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 ldquoWe have a fire engine ready with preloaded water hoses deployed across the crematoriumrdquoTearful mourners eulogise legendRamesh Thakkar and Bharti Thakkar PicsSarthak MehtaRamesh Thakkar 70 Matunga residentlsquoIrsquove been listening to Ashajirsquos 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 voicersquoBharti Thakkar 63lsquoIrsquove 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 crematoriumrsquoThe last ritesPandit Sujit Chinchadkar PicSatej ShindePandit Sujit ChinchadkarA team of over six priests including Pandits Sujit Chinchadkar Prakash Bhat and Kiran Ghogate performed the last rites Pandit Chinchadkar said ldquoAshajirsquos family hails from the Goa region Bhoslersquos 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 Ashajirsquos soul as wellrdquoIndustry mournsMandar AhluwaliaMandar Ahluwalia film director and producerlsquoShe 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 queensrsquo