Several states, including Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh, have declared state-wide mourning and public holidays following the death of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar on Sunday.
Mangeshkar, the 92-year-old singer fondly called the ‘Nightingale of India’, died on Sunday morning in Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital due to multiple organ failure at 8.12 am. She was admitted to the hospital on January 8 after testing positive for Covid-19 and was also diagnosed with pneumonia.
Mangeshkar was cremated with full state honours in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park at 6.30 pm on Sunday.
Following her demise, the Government of India announced that a two-day national mourning would be observed in memory of the late singer on Sunday and Monday. Further, as a mark of respect, the national flag was flown at half-mast on Sunday and this will be continued on Monday and there will be no official programmes.
Soon after, the Maharashtra government declared a public holiday as well as state-wide mourning on Monday to pay respect to the late singer. The Bombay High Court also announced the suspension of all judicial hearings at all its benches on Monday to mourn the singer’s passing. As per the official statement issued by the HC, subordinate courts in Maharashtra, South and North Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu will remain closed on Monday.
The West Bengal government also announced a half-day holiday on Monday in the late singer’s memory and further declared that her songs will be played at every public place, government installation, and traffic signal for the next 15 days.
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Other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Sikkim have declared two-day mourning where no cultural programmes will be organised and the flag will remain half-mast. Goa has declared three-day state mourning from Sunday to Tuesday.
Mangeshkar’s home state Madhya Pradesh also declared two days of mourning. The late singer was born in Indore in 1929.