Legendary singer Asha Bhosle was cremated with full honors on Monday at Shivaji Park crematorium, as the nation mourned the loss of one of her most iconic voices. The singer passed away on Sunday at the age of 92 due to failure in several organs, leaving behind a legacy that extends over eight decades and more than 12,000 songs. Amid the outpouring of grief, veteran actress Mumtaz recalled her last memories of the singer and shared an emotional account of her last moments.
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle was cremated with full honors on Monday at Shivaji Park crematorium, as the nation mourned the loss of one of her most iconic voices. The singer passed away on Sunday at the age of 92 due to failure in several organs, leaving behind a legacy that extends over eight decades and more than 12,000 songs.Amid the outpouring of grief, veteran actress Mumtaz recalled her last memories of the singer and shared an emotional account of her last moments.Mumtaz told Hindustan Times: “I rushed when I heard that she had been admitted to the hospital… I wanted to talk to her, but I could not because the doctors told us that her condition was critical. As I was leaving the hospital a few minutes later, her family called to say that she had died. The next day I visited her house and when I saw Asha ji, her face had a certain light on it.”
“She’ll say this was her most difficult song.”
The actor-singer duo has delivered memorable hits over the years, including songs like Koi Shahri Babu and Duniya Mein Logon Ko, which have become timeless classics.Recalling her musical journey, Mumtaz added, “Ashaji always told me that ‘Aaja O Mere Raja’ was the most difficult song of her career because of the vocal differences.”
Memories outside of music
In addition to their professional collaboration, Mumtaz also shared deep personal memories from their younger days, revealing the warmth of her attachment to the legendary singer and her family.
“I remember lying in the lap of Ashaji and Lata Mangeshkar when they were practicing tanpura,” she said, painting a nostalgic picture of the time they spent as neighbors in Wokeshwar.
A final farewell with state honors
On Monday, Asha Bhosle – known as Asha Tai – was given a ceremonial gun salute by Mumbai Police. Her tricolor-draped remains were set on fire in an emotional ceremony attended by family, friends and admirers.Her last rites were performed by her son Anand, as the atmosphere was filled with cheers and prayers, marking the end of an era in Indian music.
