Singer S. Janaki Cremated With Full State Honours in Mysuru
Legendary Playback Singer Honoured by Karnataka Government for Her Lifetime Contribution to Music
Mysuru: Legendary playback singer S. Janaki, 88, was cremated with full State honours on Sunday at a farmhouse in Kaniyanahundi village of Heggadadevanakote taluk, about 25 km from Mysuru city. The farmhouse belongs to her admirer and caretaker, Naveen, a resident of Mysuru. Thousands of fans gathered at both the funeral venue and Maharaja's College Grounds, where her mortal remains were kept for public viewing, to pay their last respects to the iconic singer. Her final rites were performed by her granddaughter, Apsara, according to Andhra Brahmin traditions.
Janaki passed away at a private hospital in Mysuru on Saturday at around 7.30 pm after being admitted earlier in the day due to age-related health complications. According to the hospital, she was brought in a critical condition and suffered multiple cardiac arrests during treatment despite intensive medical efforts.
Janaki had been living in Mysuru for nearly two years in a house owned by a friend of her caretaker, Naveen. Her stay in the city was known only to close family members and friends. Naveen said her last rites were conducted at his farmhouse in accordance with her wish, as she had developed a deep attachment to Mysuru.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled her demise, describing it as "an irreparable loss to the world of music and culture." He said her songs in multiple languages had captivated generations and that her melodies would continue to enchant listeners for years to come. Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar also expressed grief over her passing.
Veteran actress Bharati, who shared a close bond with Janaki, said the singer never fully recovered from the loss of her son, Murali Krishna, earlier this year. She recalled that Janaki and her son had planned to settle permanently in Mysuru and had been searching for a house in the city. Bharati also said Janaki's favourite among her vast repertoire of Kannada songs was from the film Sandhya Raaga.
After the public paid homage at Maharaja's College Grounds, Janaki's mortal remains were taken in a flower-decked vehicle to the farmhouse for the final rites. People lined the route to offer floral tributes and bid farewell to the legendary singer.
Born on April 23, 1938, in Pallapatla near Repalle in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district, Janaki was introduced to music by Nadaswaram vidwan Paidiswamy and gave her first stage performance at the age of nine. She began her playback singing career at 19 with the Tamil film Vidhiyin Vilayattu (1957).
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Janaki recorded over 48,000 songs in nearly 20 languages, with Kannada accounting for the largest share of her repertoire. She received four National Film Awards, 33 State film awards, an honorary doctorate from the University of Mysore, the Kalaimamani award from the Tamil Nadu government and several other honours.
Among those who paid their last respects were music director Hamsalekha, playback singers Vijay Prakash and Rajesh Krishnan, actors Bharati, Sadhu Kokila and Srinath, Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce representatives, Chalanachitra Academy officials, Urban Development Minister Dr Yathindra Siddaramaiah, former minister B. Sriramulu, and MLAs K. Harishgowda, T.S. Srivatsa and Anil Chikkamadu.
