A pall of gloom hung over violinist and singer Balabhaskar's house in Thirumala in Thiruvananthapuram, on Wednesday, as droves of people, including public personalities and politicians, came to pay their respects. The singer, who passed away on October 2 following a road accident, was cremated with state honours at Electric Crematorium. After battling for life due to multiple injuries, the 40-year-old musician succumbed to injuries in the early hours of Tuesday.
Following the rituals at his house, his mortal remains were taken to Shanthi Kavadam (Electric Crematorium) in Thycaud. Even at the crematorium, well-wishers and fans came in droves to bid a tearful goodbye to the singer. Bhalabaskar's cousin performed the last rites. At 11 am, his mortal remains were cremated.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, musicians Vidhu Pratap and Stephen Devassy, were among those who paid their respects at the singer’s home.
Image courtesy: Sreekesh Raveendran Nair
The singer’s body was kept at University College in Thiruvananthapuram, his alma mater, for public homage, on Tuesday. The body was later taken to his house in Thirumala. The ambience turned grim when the body reached the house, as the singer's mother Shantakumari and his mother-in-law Omanakumari cried in agony and collapsed.
He was undergoing treatment at Ananthapuri Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram as he had sustained multiple organ failure, multiple fractures in his legs and even a dislocated neck. He was also on ventilator support as his lungs were severely damaged in the accident.
Balabhaskar, his wife Lakshmi and their two-year-old daughter Tejasvini were on their way from a temple in Thrissur, when the car crashed into a tree. The accident took place on September 25, at Pallipuram, near his hometown of Thiruvananthapuram.
Sadly, the daughter could not be saved. Lakshmi, who sustained multiple fractures and was on the ventilator, is recovering, but is, reportedly, still unconscious.
A noted musician who began his music career at the age of 12, Balabhaskar had composed a soundtrack for the Malayalam film Mangalya Pallak, becoming the youngest music composer to have worked in the industry.
In an interview with Dhanya Varma, for ‘The Happiness Project’, Balabhaskar had said that he had a long way to go and that he used to feel embarrassed when people called him a maestro. “I promise myself that one day I will reach that position when I won’t feel embarrassed to hear someone call me a maestro when I’d feel I deserve it.”