SP Balasubrahmanyam laid to rest at his farm house in Chennai

Versatile singer, actor and music composer S P Balasubrahmanyam was laid to rest at his farm house near here on Saturday with a 24-gun salute by Tamil Nadu police.

After the singer's son S P Charan performed the funeral rites amid Vedic chants by priests, 24 police personnel offered a gun salute. Later, the body was lowered into a deep pit and buried.

With policemen marching along, the body was brought on a bier to the designated burial spot from an enclosure earmarked for people to pay homage and perform rituals.

The farm house at Tamaraipakkam in nearby Tiruvallur district teemed with his fans, well-wishers and celebrities for the funeral and about 500 police personnel were deployed to regulate crowd.

Superstar Vijay was among those who paid their last respects to S P Balasubrahmanyam, who had sung for many of the actor's films including Oru Kaditham, Enna Azhagu and Azhagooril. Veteran director Bharathiraja, singer Mano, music composer Devi Sri Prasad and comedian Mayilsami were among the other celebs who took part.

The singer, praised as "Padum Nila" (singing moon) and "Isai Megam" (music cloud) by his fans for his mellifluous voice, tested positive for coronavirus and admitted to MGM Healthcare here on August 5. He died on Friday.

Balasubrahmanyam's body was taken from his Nungambakkam residence in the city to his Thamaraipakkam farm house in neighbouring Thiruvallur district on Friday evening, with scores of fans and well-wishers following the hearse van decorated with flowers and a 'trishul' atop the vehicle- in two-wheelers and cars.

From youngsters to senior citizens, people lined up on sides of the highway towards Thiruvallur district at several spots including at the Red Hills junction to pay their last respects.

Many stood on road medians to shower flower petals on the van carrying the singer's body. The van had to be slowed down or halted to allow people to pay their last respects at a number of locations.

Despite restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, SPB's residence here saw an unceasing crowd of fans, well-wishers and political personalities including DMK youth wing leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of the DMK chief M K Stalin to honour the singer.

Police had a tough time controlling the crowd of fans who gathered to pay their last respects.

Iconic music composer and a close friend of SPB for over 50 years, Illaiyaraja mourned the singer's death in a moving video post.

The acclaimed musician said he had no words to describe the irreparable loss and added, "Balu, I told you to come back.

You did not listen and have gone...have you gone to sing for the Gandharvas? (forms of life higher than humans according to ancient Hindu belief), the world has become a Sunyam (emptiness) with your passing.

I have no words to describe the loss...there is a limit for all grief but not for this."   SPB's another long time associate and veteran Tamil filmmaker Bharathiraja said he has no words to describe the loss of a close friend for over 50 years.

"I am in grief. I cannot talk. I have no words," he said.

Social media was abuzz with messages of condolences and several users including actress Khusbu Sundar changed their display pictures and posted images of the singer as a mark of respect while renowned music composer A R Rahman posted a video, "voice of victory, love devotion and joy," honouring SPB on his twitter handle.