Puri: Mortal remains of exponent of Hindustani Classical and Uddra Paddhatiya music Pandit Dr Damodar Hota was cremated with full State Honours at the Swargadwara crematorium here today.
Pandit Dr Hota’s elder son Shivashis Hota lit the funeral pyre.
A guard of honour was presented to the music maestro by the Puri district administration before his elder son Shivashis lit the funeral pyre.
Pandit Dr Hota’s body was taken to his ancestral home at Goudabada Sahi here before it was taken to Swargadwara for the final journey.
Puri Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Subash Nath Sharma and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Prafulla Badajena were present at the Swargadwara during the music maestro’s cremation.
Several music lovers and family members had gathered at the Swargadwara to pay their last respects to the classical singer.
Earlier in the day, the mortal remains of Pandit Dr Hota was taken from his residence at Nayapalli in Bhubaneswar to the Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya where he had served as the Principal.
Additional Chief Secretary Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department Madhusudan Padhi offered floral tributes. A large number of students, Principal of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya Dr Bijaya Kumar Jena, other faculty members, renowned vocalists and musicians offered tributes with a bhajan to the departed soul.
Pandit Dr Hota passed on February 5 at the age of 87 after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at his Bhubaneswar residence. He breathed his last on his way to the hospital.
