MUMBAI: The legendary Lata Mangeshkar The ‘Nightingale of India’ the ‘Queen of Melody’ who breathed her last today morning at 8:12 am at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai was laid to rest at the famous Shivaji Park grounds with full state honours and in the presence of several dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The body of the late singer who passed away at the age of 92 after 28 days in hospital was first bought to the family residence 'Prabu Kunj' in south Mumbai where she was given a full guard of honour before the funeral cortege left for the cremation ground. In 2012, the cremation and final rituals of Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray were performed at the iconic grounds. 

Several people from the film industry visited Mangeshkar's house to pay their condolences and included among others, Bollywood veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan along with daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda. 

Besides the Bachchans, actress Shraddha Kapoor, Anupam Kher, lyricist Javed Akhtar, filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bhushan Kumar, and Madhur Bhandarkar also arrived at the late singer's house.

At about the same time Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to announce that he was heading to Mumbai to attend the singer's last rites and would reach Mumbai shortly. 

The funeral cortege then made its way to Shivaji Park to cover a distance of about 8 kilometres where her last rites were to be performed. Thousands of people joined the cortege while many thronged the streets to pay their last respects.

As the solemn procession made its way in the park several political leaders including Maharashtra's Chief Minister Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray along with this family, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and his daughter NCP leader Supriya Sule, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and other had already arrived at the location.

Several Hindi film personalities were also present to pay their last respects to Mangeshkar at Shivaji Park. Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan with his daughter Ira, Ranbir Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Shraddha Kapoor were present along with the singer's family at the venue. 

Latter Prime Minister Modi arrived with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and they paid their last respects and floral tributes to the great singer. 

At about 7 pm Mangeshkar's last rites and cremation were held with full state honours and was led by her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar. The legendary singer was only the second vocalist, after MS Subbulakshmi, to be awarded India's highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna in 2001.

The Maharashtra government has announced a public holiday as well as one-day mourning on Monday as a mark of respect to melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, while the national flag will fly at half-mast on Sunday and Monday throughout India.