Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Apr 13: India bid the final emotional farewell to the legendary singer Asha Bhosle who was cremated with full state honours at the Shivaji Park crematorium on Monday evening.
Her son, Anand Bhosle, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of a large gathering of mourners who came together to pay their final respects to the iconic voice that enthralled generations for more than eight decades.
Wrapped in the tricolour, the mortal remains of Asha Bhosle, fondly known as “Asha Tai,” were consigned to flames following a traditional gun salute by the Mumbai Police. The legendary singer of the Indian music world, had passed away at the age of 92 at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. She was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening due to a chest infection and fatigue, where she passed away on Sunday following multi-organ failure.
On Sunday evening, Asha Tai’s mortal remains were taken to her Mumbai residence, where several celebrities, politicians and common masses paid their last respects. The family had kept the singer’s mortal remains for the final darshan (viewing) on Monday at her residence, Casa Grande, located in Lower Parel. Later on Monday afternoon, the body of the legendary singer was taken to the crematorium.
The city witnessed an emotional day as fans, political leaders, and members of the film and music industry came together to pay their last respects to the melody queen. The legendary vocalist was also given a musical tribute by singers Shaan and Sudesh Bhosle, who also gave a musical tribute minutes before bidding her a final goodbye. Several well-known faces from the film world arrived to pay floral tributes to the legendary singer.
People lined the streets, gathered on rooftops and windows and hundreds walked along the cortege winding its slow way from Lower Parel to Shivaji Park where Asha Bhosle, India’s singer nonpareil and Mumbai’s very own Asha Tai, would be given a final farewell.
A white vehicle, adorned with the singer’s favourite white and yellow flowers and a large photograph of her radiant in a red sari with her trademark bindi and an ornate nose ring, was placed on the flower bedecked bier. Chants of “Asha Tai amar rahe” went up in the crowds gathered for a last glimpse of the music legend who ruled our playlists — and perhaps our hearts — for eight decades, carried her mortal remains from her Lower Parel residence to Shivaji Park in Dadar, about five kilometres away. The police band played a sombre tune as the casket was placed inside the vehicle.
Singer Shreya Ghoshal paid tribute to late Asha Bhosle during her London concert by singing legend’s hit tracks including “Dum Maro Dum” and “Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani.” Ghoshal had her concert at London O2 Arena on Sunday. During her performance the singer went on to remember Bhosle by singing her songs.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the state government would build a music institute envisaged by legendary singer Asha Bhosle. The Cabinet headed by Mr Fadnavis also paid homage to the Bhosle, with a condolence resolution being read out by Chief Secretary Rajesh Agarwal. “Steps will be taken to build a music institute envisaged by Bhosle,” a statement quoted Fadnavis as saying. The proposal for the institute was mooted by Bhosle and the government will take it forward, the CM added.
Not only in India, Pakistani film world also paid heartfelt tribute to the legendary singer. “Goodbye the Queen, you’ll be missed forever as your voice was never just India’s, it was a gift to the entire world,” reads one of the heartfelt tributes by Pakistani actors and singers to Asha Bhosle. “This is not just a loss for one country, but for music itself,” Film and TV Actor Imran Abbas said in a social media post. “There was no one like her, and there never will be,” he added.
Recalling his first meeting with her, Abbas said: “I still remember the first time Asha Bhosle called me from Singapore through a common friend. What began as a simple conversation turned into a bond filled with warmth, laughter, and her unforgettable playful pranks.” “Your voice was never just India’s, it was a gift to the entire world. Even here in Pakistan, we loved you just as deeply as anyone, anywhere,” he added. Singer-actor Ali Zafar, who also worked in Indian films, called her an incredible artist.
“An unmatched voice. Pure versatility. Asha Bhosle Ji’s work will continue to inspire generations. Such voices don’t fade with time. They become a part of it. Rest in peace,” Zafar said.
Film actress Reema Khan called her “a melody that never fades and an emotion woven into the soul of music.” Calling it the “end of an era,” Reema praised Bhosle’s remarkable versatility and ability to “move seamlessly from lively cabaret numbers to deeply expressive ghazals, with a voice that carried unmistakable warmth and character.” Actor Adnan Siddiqui, who also worked in a Hollywood film, paid tribute to the Indian legend, saying her voice “had a way of filling even the quietest moments with something devastatingly human.”
“Today, it seems that silence feels heavier. Thank you for the emotions you gave us, the memories you became and the magic you left behind. You’ll always be heard, somewhere… somehow,” Siddiqui said.
RJ Anoushey Ashraf shared a note on artists travelling between Pakistan and India when things weren’t so complicated. “Today, as we say goodbye to Asha Bhosle, it reminds me how deeply her voice lived in all our homes, on both sides,” she said. “Thankfully, shared music doesn’t need visas, permissions, or political analysis. It just shows up, resonates, and stays and is still the one thing people from both sides of the border appreciate fully. Maybe we should all upgrade our playlists for world peace,” she added.
Filmmaker Meher Jaffri joined the outpouring of grief by sharing a tribute featuring the timeless song ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’, calling Bhosle “a true legend whose voice became the soundtrack of countless lives across generations.” Singer Shuja Haider said Bhosle’s voice reached people all over the world, inspiring millions of fans from the past, today, and the future.
“Her name will always be remembered as one of the greatest in world music. A special chapter has closed,” Haider added. Bhosle recorded over 12,000 songs across 20 languages in her career spanning eight decades. She was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.