Shah Rukh Khan reading duas at Lata Mangeshkar's funeral (Photo: Twitter) Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s offering of dua at veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar’s funeral led to much discussion online. The actor said a prayer, took off his mask and blew into the wind as per an Islamic ritual. Netizens found the moment solemn and a powerful depiction of India’s secular roots in one photo, but a few saw reason for complaint.
The state in-charge of BJP’s Haryana unit, Arun Yadav shared the video saying, “Kya isne thuka hai (Did he spit)?” Another BJP leader, the party’s Uttar Pradesh spokesperson Prashant Umrao, made the same allegation. These comments led social media to erupt in fury. A few chose to explain the ritual, saying that the blowing into the wind was a way to ward off evil. “Unreal that ppl actually think one of the most prominent figures in India spat on the mortal remains of a Bharat Ratna in full media glare,” one tweeted.
थूकना नही दुआओं को फुँकना कहते हैं।इस सभ्यता,संस्कृति को #भारत कहते हैं।
प्रधानमंत्री जी की फ़ोटो तो लगा रखी हैं, उनसे कुछ सीखा होता।
भारत माँ कीं अनमोल बेटी का गाना सुनें
“ईश्वर अल्लाह तेरे नाम, सबको सन्मति दे भगवान,
सारा जग तेरी सन्तान”
(आज का दिन तो छोड़ देतें🙏🏻) https://t.co/fjmUWor9Fh pic.twitter.com/c6tkhiEK1d— Urmila Matondkar (@UrmilaMatondkar) February 6, 2022
Later, actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar also backed up Shah Rukh Khan by tweeting in Hindi, “This is not spitting. This is called offering up a prayer and blowing into the wind. This practice, this culture represents India too. You have put up a photo of the Prime Minister, if only you could have learned something from him. Listen to this one song by India’s great daughter where she speaks of providing good sense to everyone, and how each human being is god’s child.”
Mera desh!! Mera Bharat! Meri Shaan! Meri jaan! pic.twitter.com/4jep2yakxQ
— KhushbuSundar or NakhatKhan (@khushsundar) February 6, 2022
Actor Khushbu also shared a photo of SRK and his manager Pooja Dadlani offering prayers to the late Lata Mangeshkar. She tweeted, “Mera desh!! Mera Bharat! Meri Shaan! Meri jaan!”
No hate can conquer this….
— Aishe (ঐশী) (@aishe_ghosh) February 6, 2022
Visuals from the last rites showed Shah Rukh Khan and his manager Pooja Dadlani paying their last respects to the singer. While the actor had his hands raised in dua, his manager had her hands folded. The photo went viral on social media, with most people appreciating how the frame captured India’s diversity.
Even in the midst of tragedy and mourning, the troll army and those who spread hatred did their bit and targeted @iamsrk even as he offered up duas for #LataMangeshkar
Who represented the essence of music, which knows no language, nor religion! #Stopthehatred @gaurikhan pic.twitter.com/Q2hO6AemZ5— Sanjoy K Roy (@SanjoyRoyTWA) February 7, 2022
Lata Mangeshkar passed away on Sunday (February 6), and was laid to rest with full state honours. Several celebrities, including Sachin Tendulkar, Ranbir Kapoor, Aamir Khan and Vidya Balan, attended, to pay homage. PM Narendra Modi also reached Mumbai to pay homage to the veteran singer.
एक दुआ हिंदुस्तानियत के नाम!#ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/fe22YvdjCA
— Lalitesh Pati Tripathi (@LaliteshPati) February 7, 2022
Lata, 92, died of a multi-organ failure. Called the Nightingale of India, the legendary singer sang over 30,000 songs in her long and storied career.
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