The mortal remains of Bal Thackeray, a Hindutva mascot andflagbearer of Marathi pride, were consigned to flames as lakhs of mournersjoined the Shiv Sena founder's grieving family to bid him a tearful farewell,with the city observing a virtual shutdown.
In a spontaneous outpouring of grief, a sea of humanity,unprecedented in recent memory, descended on the streets leading from"Matoshree", Thackeray's Bandra home, to Shivaji Park, to catch thelast glimpse of the uncrowned king of Mumbai.
As several times in life, the Thackeray phenomenon was inevidence once again in death as he brought Mumbai to a halt with allmarketplace, from the swanky malls to the tiny tea stalls and 'paan-beedi'kiosks, closed and all roads leading to "Matoshree", Shiv Sena Bhavanin Dadar and Shivaji Park, where his last rites were performed.
Loud roars of "Parat ya parat ya Balasaheb parat ya(Come back, come back, Balasaheb come back), Kon ala re, kon ala Shiv Senechawagh ala (Who has come, who has come, Shiv Sena's tiger has come)" and"Balasaheb amar rahe" (long live Balasaheb) rent the air as anemotional Uddhav, the youngest son of the departed leader and Sena's executivepresident, lit the pyre.
In a reflection of the respect Thackeray commanded acrossthe board, a galaxy of politicians, from allies to rivals, film stars tocaptains of industry were in attendance.
