Thumri legend Girija Devi's last rites held with full state honours

VARANASI: The last rites of legendary Thumri singer Girija Devi were performed today at the Manikarnika ghat here with full state honours.

The 88-year-old classical singer and Padma Vibhushan awardee had passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Kolkata following a cardiac arrest.

The mortal remains of the Thumri queen arrived at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International airport at Babatpur at around 1:05 pm here.

Varanasi Commissioner Nitin Ramesh Gokarn, ADG (Varanasi zone) B Mahapatra, IG range Deepak Ratan, SSP RK Bhardwaj, District Magistrate Yogeshwar Ram Mishra and other officials were present at the airport along with folk singer Malini Awasthi and local politicians who paid floral tributes to her.

The body was carried to her ancestral house in Sanjay Nagar colony in Nati-Imli area by a special van decorated with flowers. It was then placed in a park at front of her house for the public to pay homage.

The same park was inaugurated by her a long time ago and is know as 'Devi Vatika'.

With moist eyes, her disciples, including Awasthi, sang the most famous and favourite song of the legendary singer, 'Babul mora naihar chhuto hi jaye' before the body was taken to the Manikarnika ghat.

Later in the evening, a procession was taken to Manikarnika ghat where her mortal remains were consigned to flames with full state honours. Her grandson, Arindam, lit the pyre.

A large number of people, including local politicians, were present there at the ghat to pay respect to the singer.