Harivanshrai's mortal remains consigned to flames

MUMBAI: The mortal remains of noted poet Harivanshrai Bachchan were consigned to flames amid chanting of religious hymns at the Ruia Park crematorium in suburban Juhu on Sunday evening.
The funeral pyre was lit by his elder son and megastar Amitabh Bachchan who was accompanied by his son Abhishek.
The 96-year-old Harivanshrai died of prolonged illnes at Amitabh''s residence Pratiksha on Saturday night.
Admirers of Harivanshrai chanted Ram nam satya hai and Harvanshrai amar rahe as waters from the river Ganga was sprinkled over the body before the funeral pyre was lit.
A sea of humanity converged at Pratiksha as people from different walks of life including politicians and film personalities participated in the procession to the crematorium for the last rites.
Among those who attended the funeral include cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, Samajwadi Party leader and the Bachchans'' close friend Amar Singh, film personalities Sujit Kumar, Yash Chopra, Prakash Mehra, Randhir Kapoor and his brothers Rishi and Chimpoo, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher and industrialist Anil Ambani.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and former home minister Kripashankar Singh visited Pratiksha and paid floral tributes to the departed soul.
Film luminaries Yash Chopra, Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Danny, Krishna Kapoor, wife of late Raj Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Honey Irani, Anil Kapoor, Goldie Behl and Amrish Puri were among the first to call on the bereaved family on Saturday night.
From around midnight, a steady stream of mourners offered their condolence to Amitabh, his wife Jaya, daughter Shweta and son Abhishek.
Amar Singh and industrialist Anil Ambani had reached the bungalow hours before Harivanshrai''s death.
A pall of gloom descended on the Juhu-Vile Parle area as film industry people heard about the death of Harivanshrai.
Reacting to the poet''s death, noted film-maker and writer Ramanand Sagar said the country has lost a literary giant.
Director Anil Sharma said Harivanshrai took poetry to sublime height and his rich collection of poems won him wide acclaim. Lyricist Javed Akhtar said with his death, an era has ended in Hindi literature. "I have learnt a lot from the father-son relationship. Amitabh has looked after his father very well all these years," Akhtar added.
After meeting the bereaved family, the chief minister said, "We have lost a great poet who gave Hindi poetry an entirely new prospective".