Asha Bhosle cremated with state honours amid outpour of grief
A gun salute rang out as the last rites of the 92-year-old singer, widely regarded as one of the last great voices of Hindi cinema, were held with full state honours.
India's legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle was cremated today (13 April) with full state honours as hundreds of people, including members of the Bollywood fraternity, bade her a final farewell amid an outpour of grief.
A gun salute rang out as the last rites of the 92-year-old singer, widely regarded as one of the last great voices of Hindi cinema, were held with full state honours.
With the setting sun as a backdrop, her final rites were performed by her son Anand in a poignant atmosphere, marking the end of an era that spanned more than eight decades of Indian musical history.
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The ceremony reached an emotional peak as a police contingent fired a three-round volley in a traditional gun salute, followed by the sounding of the "Last Post."
Strains of her iconic song "Abhi Na Jaao Chhodkar" played in the background at the Shivaji Park crematorium.
Asha Bhosle, younger sister of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, passed away yesterday (12 April) due to multi-organ failure, four years after her sister's death in February 2022.
Friends, family members and colleagues from the film industry gathered at her Lower Parel residence, Casa Grande, from early morning to pay their respects.
Among those present were Aamir Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Vivek Oberoi and Talat Aziz.
The mortal remains were carried to the cremation ground in a flower-covered chariot decorated with white and marigold flowers. The chariot also featured several iconic photographs of the singer, capturing different moments from her long career.
As the procession moved through crowds of mourners, fans bowed their heads and showered petals, offering a final farewell to the legendary singer.
