Nana Patekar was cremated with full state honours at his Donje farmhouse near Pune after dying of a cardiac arrest in Goa. Son Malhar explains the late-night rites.Veteran actor Nana Patekar, who died following a cardiac arrest on Thursday, October 8, in Goa, was cremated with full state honours at his farmhouse in Pune later that night. The last rites were performed at around 11.30 pm at the family’s farmhouse,
popularly known as Nanachi Wadi, in Donje village on the outskirts of Pune. Following the funeral, Nana’s son, Malhar Patekar, explained why the last rites were held so late at night.Malhar told reporters that the family had initially expected his father’s remains to reach the village earlier. However, the delay in transportation meant the final journey took longer than anticipated.
Since Nana Patekar died at the crack of dawn on Thursday, and several hours had already passed since the tragedy, the family decided to complete the last rites on Thursday itself.“We were in Goa, and his mortal remains were to be brought to the farmhouse in the village. We expected it to arrive earlier, but it took us some time. We proceeded (with the last rites today) because the tragedy occurred early this morning, so a significant amount of time had already passed. That is why wedecided to go ahead with it today,” he responded.
In Hindu tradition, cremation is generally performed during the day, as many customs consider performing the last rites after sunset inauspicious. According to traditional beliefs, the period after sunset is often avoided for cremation, with families typically trying to complete the final rites before nightfall. However, practices vary across regions, communities and family traditions, and circumstances surrounding a death may also influence time of the funeral.
Malhar on his father’s legacyHe also spoke about the legacy his father had left behind, saying that the veteran actor’s contribution to society would endure through the initiatives he championed.“A person like Nana Saheb never truly leaves us. Through their work, they become immortal. Secondly, his mindset was always consistent; he would frequently repeat the line, ‘Let’s get together in the name of humanity and work for the betterment of the world.’
