Pankaj Udhas Funeral: Fans pay last respects to the ghazal legend

Pankaj Udhas passed away. Pics/Yogen Shah

Legendary ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday, February 26, following a prolonged illness. His last rites will be held today at his residence in Mumbai. Ahead of Pankaj Udhas' funeral, several celebrities arrived to pay their condolences to the bereaved family.

The news of Pankaj Udhas' death has sent shockwaves throughout the entire music industry. Musicians Shankar Mahadevan and Ustad Zakir Hussain were spotted arriving at the house of the singer. Vidya Balan also came to pay her last respects to the late Ghazal maestro. Now a video of glimpses from Pankaj Udhas' ‘Aakhri darshan' has left fans disheartened, with everyone pouring in their condolences in the comment section. Fans have been writing "Om Shanti" in the comment section, while others are dropping crying emojis too. A fan wrote, "One more legend gone." "Om Shanti, rest in eternal peace," wrote another user. "Ye hai antim Safar hum sb ka," wrote a third fan.

A Padma Shri recipient, Pankaj Udhas passed away on Monday at the age of 72. The news of his demise was confirmed by his family via a statement. "With profound sadness, we inform you of the passing of Padmashri Pankaj Udhas on February 26th due to a prolonged illness. -- The Udhas Family," the statement read.

Pankaj Udhas was born on May 17, 1951, in Jetpur, Gujarat. In addition to ghazals, he was well-known for his film work. In 1980, he gained widespread popularity for his solo ghazal album 'Aahat.' Later, he recorded other successes, including 'Mukarar' (1981), 'Tarrannum' (1982), 'Mehfil' (1983), and many more. Some of his popular renditions are 'Chitthi Aayi Hai,' 'Chandani Raat Mein,' 'Na Kajre Ki Dhaar,' 'Aur Ahista Kijiye Baatein,' 'Ek Taraf Uska Ghar,' and 'Thodi Thodi Piya Karo.'

Anu Malik, who has worked with Pankaj Udhas on several songs recalled him as a man of wit and humour. "He was a very witty, humourous person and he used to smile a lot. He would roll on the floor with laughter when we would talk. He wasn't like other ghazal singers who were picky. He would sing any song. He loved his music and was proud of his singing. He was a great human being and he made his place in the field of ghazal like no other. I would also like to add that the music world, ghazal world, and music lovers have lost a shining star. He loved his two daughters, loved his wife, and was really proud of the house he made. He would do a lot of shows but was very humble and never arrogant. He was sorted. He always had kind words for everyone and would never talk bad about anyone else. He would only talk about music," Malik told mid-day.com.