Hundreds Pay Their Last Respects To Sandhya Mukherjee

Kolkata, Feb 16: Hundreds of teary-eyed music lovers on Wednesday filed past the body of legendary Bengali singer Sandhya Mukherjee kept at a cultural complex here for public viewing.Mukherjee, 90, passed away on Tuesday evening at a city hospital following a massive cardiac arrest.Carrying wreaths and floral offerings, people from all sections of the society crowded around the Rabindra Sadan cultural complex, waiting for the lastglimpse of the singer, whose mortal remains have been kept on a platform.

The who’s who of Bengal’s cultural world – singers, actors, dancers, painters – were present at the site, mourning the loss of one of the brightest stars of Bengali music whose performance had enthralled people for eight decades. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who returned to Kolkata by cutting short her tour to North Bengal, paid floral tributes and drapped a shawl around the singer’s body.

Mukherjee’s mortal remains would be consigned to flames at the Koeratala crematorium in the evening with full state honours including a gun salute.Prime minister Narendra Modi has paid glowing tributes to the legend saying, “Our cultural world is a lot poorer.”with the passing away of Sandhya Mukherjee.Taking to Twitter, Modi said, “The passing away of Gitashree Sandhya Mukhopadhyay Ji leaves us all extremely saddened. Our cultural world is a lot poorer. Her melodious renditions will continue to enthrall the coming generations. My thoughts are with her family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti.”