Maharashtra govt announces public holiday on Monday to mourn death of Lata Mangeshkar

|HT|

The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced a public holiday on Monday to mourn the death of Lata Mangeshkar. A two-day "state mourning" will be observed on the demise of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. Citing a wireless message sent out to state chief secretaries by the Union Home Ministry, it was reported that the national flag will fly at half-mast from February 6 to February 7 throughout India. The central government has decided that as a mark of respect to the departed dignitary, two-day state mourning will be observed from February 6 to February 7 and there will be no official entertainment in this period, it was reported.

The funeral of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar will be held on open ground in Mumbai's Shivaji Park, where her body will be kept for the public to pay tributes on Sunday evening. The site is about 100-metre away from Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray's memorial, on the west side of the Shivaji Park, located in Dadar area.

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said that they have arranged about 25 kg sandalwood for Mangeshkar's cremation along with other necessary things. Around 2,000 sq ft of the park's area has been barricaded for the funeral proceedings, a BMC official said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday informed usthat he will be paying his last respects to the singing icon Lata Mangeshkar in Mumbai. "Will be leaving for Mumbai in some time to pay my last respects to Lata Didi," PM Modi tweeted. PM Modi is likely to be present at the funeral site before 6pm.

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