22:57
From a Rediff correspondent: In the wake of Mumbai virtually shutting down for Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's cremation, chaos prevailed at the domestic airport in Santacruz on Sunday night.As no pre-paid taxis were plying, autorickshaws and yellow-black taxis had a field day as they tried to...
22:32
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will accompany President Barack Obama to Myanmar on Monday, and join his meetings with Burmese President Thein Sein and Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament Aung San Suu Kyi. Clinton will also accompany Obama on his travel...
21:58
Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut says do not believe in rumours, no bandh has been called by the party.
21:26
A rediff.com reader reports that sporadic incidents of stone pelting have been reported from Andheri (east), Lokhandwala and Malad in suburban Mumbai.
21:08
A Ganesh reports: Buses continue to ply, albeit empty. Post Bal Thackeray's funeral, people stepped out of their houses. At Mahim Causeway, two-wheelers were out on the roads. ATMs remain closed. A restaurant opened only to sell takeaway food. A paan-bedi shop was also open.
20:53
And yes, Ponty Chadha has finally fallen two notches below Bal Thackeray on Twitter.
20:52
An update on the other big story that got mowed down by Bal Thackeray's death -- the killing of Ponty Chadha.A botched up autopsy today led to the deferment of cremation of liquor baron Ponty Chadha with police insisting on a second postmortem and takng the body to AIIMS after doctors informed...
20:35
Here's the other reason why the city shuts down when the Sena is involved. In 2001 this is what happened in Thane: Anand Dighe dead, Sainiks set hospital on fire. Read
20:33
In Thane, a stronghold of the Sena, a few shops are open. A colleagues tells us that people are queuing up for necessities and stocking up on provisions. Two words that describe it: Panic buying. That's also because of persistent rumours that there will be a bandh tomorrow. Shops have remained...
20:25
In Nerul in suburban Mumbai, milk shops are now open. People on the streets are acting like they have virtually been let out of house arrest, which they have, says Monali Sarkar.
20:15
Bal Thackeray's Poisonous Legacies: One of them was making political violence so routine that it ceases to outrage. ReadBollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and his sister Congress MP Priya Dutt at the funeral. Pic: Satish Bodas
20:14
Some heartening news. Firstpost.com says that the Mumbai taxi association has announced that taxis will ply tomorrow if the situation remains calm. Taxis and autorickshaws were off the roads today in Mumbai.Raj Thackeray breaks down when the police band play the Last Post. Pic: Satish Bodas
20:02
Jaideep A. Prabhu on Twitter: had my issues with BK Thackeray too, but this demonisation of him only shows media's ignorance and stupidity - of astronomical proportions.(A sentiment that seems to be taking over Twitter).Invictus: Uddhav Thackeray's personal secretary Milind...
19:50
Prabhu Chawla tweets: Decision to bid farewell to Bal Thakerey with state honours( Read Tiranga) was taken by a secular Congress-led govt. It was a correct move.Update on the strike tommorow: The BEST - the public bus service in Mumbai, will ply buses normally tomorrow. Taxi unions say they will...
19:42
Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray's funeral at the historic Shivaji Park ground in Mumbai was the first at a public space in Mumbai since independence.As far as I know, this is the first time since independence that a person has been cremated at a public platform in the city, 83-year-old former...
19:28
In a touching gesture, the doctors who made a failed attempt to save Thackeray's life and who looked after him for years, were the first to pay floral tributes to him when his body draped in national flag and sporting a red Tilak and trademark dark glasses was kept on a stage before the final...
19:20
I have never seen such a vast ocean of humanity. And probably never will. It was unforgettable, says Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel. Read
19:17
Uddhav Thackeray's personal secretary Milind Narvekar said that Shiv Sena has not called a bandh either in Maharashtra or in Mumbai on Monday. The Federation of Associations of Maharashtra has called upon its constituents and the trading community to observe a bandh in Maharashtra tomorrow as a...
19:08
No signs of people dispersing from Shivaji Park as yet. A moment that will be remembered from today, is the apparent warmth between Raj and Uddhav Thackeray. Remember, Raj had walked out of Shiv Sena and formed his own outfit, after Thackeray annointed Uddhav his successor in 2004 and the...
18:57
Factoid according to PTI: Bal Thackeray's funeral is the first state public funeral after Bal Gangadhar Tilak's in 1920.
18:55
In an aside, Ponty Chadha still ahead of Bal Thackeray on Twitter. Samar Halarnkar tweets: Why would more people not turn into bigots and if this is the send off they are likely to get? So you live by the saffron, preach it all your life but die with the Tiranga. Hmmm.
18:41
Schools in Mumbai, which were to reopen after the Diwali break tomorrow, will remain closed. Wholesale and retail jewellery shops will also remain closed. The school bus association has also decided to keep their buses off the roads tomorrow.
18:35
And the actual test for the Mumbai police begins now. Crowd dispersal. Prasanna Zore reports that there is a stampede like situation as two sections of the crowd move in opposite directions. Police, thankfully, bring back some semblance of order.
18:29
And that always poignant scene of a person holding the urn on his shoulder and going around the funeral pyre. Uddhav circles the pyre while holding a fire brand behind his back. The water falling from the urn signifies life leaving its vessel.
18:23
Uddhav Thackeray lights the funeral pyre. Raj weeps silently next to him. Absolutely beautiful shlokas being sung by a classical singer as Bal Thackeray's body is consigned to flames.
18:17
The sun sets on Mumbai and as naysayers want to believe, on the Sena. Udhav walks around the pyre as priests chant the funeral rites. Thackeray's body is now entirely covered in sandalwood logs.
18:14
The Thackeray grandchildren breakdown as the priests begin chanting the funeral prayers. As does Uddhav's wife, Sharmila.
18:11
Jaydev Thackeray is back on the scene. Sandalwood logs being placed on the body. Cries of Balasaheb Amar Rahe and Parat Ya Parat Ya... Uddhav composed, but closes his eyes briefly and looks heavenwards. Jaydev is also performing the last rites. Patcy N reports that you can also hear people...
18:05
Draped in saffron, a colour that he espoused all his life, Bal Thackeray begins his last journey. Uddhav performing the last rites. Jaydev Thackeray cannot be seen -- Prasanna Zore
18:02
The first sandalwood log being laid on Bal Thackeray's body to the signs of Parat Ya Parat Ya.
18:00
And the Last Post, the traditional salute to the fallen is being played out. Everyone, all the lakhs (figures still guestimates -- but expected to be around 12 lakh) stand to attention. People wiping their tears silently. Raj Thackeray in tears as the Last Post plays.
17:56
Bal Thackeray's body is place on the funeral pyre. Thackeray being given a 21-gun salute by the Mumbai police. Remember, he is being given a state funeral.
17:54
Jaidev Thackeray, the estranged son of Bal Thackeray is at hand next to Uddhav and Aditya. What is now happening is the purification of the funeral pyre. Thackeray has not been laid on the pyre as yet. Smita Thackeray's son Rahul is also with the men of the family. Champasingh Thapa, Thackeray's...
17:48
Women standing close to the body break down at seeing their leader lying dead. Patcy N reports that there are small pockets of chaos at Shivaji Park where huge screens are showing the event. People have been throwing bottles in frustration. Savera R Someshwar reporting from Shivaji Park spoke to...
17:38
A moment of tension for the cops as announcer asks cops to move away from the area where Thackeray's body lies and create a security ring around the body, reports Prasanna Zore. Patcy N and Savera R Someshwar reports that Sainiks are asking the police to get off the platform and form a...
17:33
OK, the darshan has been stopped now, reports Patcy N from Shivaji Park. Uddhav and his son Aditya folding their hands and looking to the heavens. Estranged sister-in-laws Sharmila and Rashmi Thackeray sit next to each other. Thackeray's body has still not been placed on the pyre. It's on a...
17:29
The Tricolour has now been taken off from Thackeray's body and folded carefully by the police. The body now lies next to the pyre. People still filing in to pay their last respects. If the schedule is kept to, Thackeray will be cremated at 6 pm, just 30 minutes from now.
17:26
BJD's Jay Panda, Mahesh Manjrekar, Supriya Sule, Shreyas Talpade, Shaina NC, Madhur Bhandarkar, Kripashankar Singh, Jaywantiben Mehta, Ram Naik, Sardar Tara Singh have paid their respects. All of these are within touching distance of the body. Earlier, there was a moment of chaos as everyone made...
17:13
So far, there has been complete order at Shivaji Park. Raj and Uddhav stand next to each other at the end of the queue and accept condolences from the VVIPs.
17:09
Since Thackeray is being given a state funeral, his body was carried in to Shivaji Park by the Mumbai police, led by procession. LK Advani lays a wreath at Thackeray's feet, Sharad Pawar, Nitin Gadkari, Chhagan Bhujabal lay wreaths and flowers. Prithiviraj Chavan following Gadkari in the...
17:06
Raj Thackeray touches BJP senior leader LK Advani's feet and then spoke to Sushma Swaraj. The body is laid on the pyre, which would be lit in an hour. Crowd gets emotional renting the air with Amar Rahe Amar Rahe, reports Prasanna Zore. Former Sainik Sanjay Nirupam and other VVIPs walk past the...
16:53
Uddhav's son Aditya and wife Rashmi, Thackeray's daughter-in-law Smita at Shivaji Park. The body held aloft by the the Mumbai police has already reached ahead of the family. Marathi actor Milind Gunaji has also reached.Raj Thackeray and Manohar Joshi have just entered Shivaji Park. VHP's...
16:44
Bal Thackeray's body will be kept at Shivaji Park till 6 pm. New arrivals include Nana Patkar, BJP's Smrit Irani.Thackeray's body is now being carried into Shivaji Park. He will be consigned to flames at 6 pm.
16:37
ABP News tweets: Narendra Modi will not visit Mumbai for Bal Thackeray's funeral.
16:36
Gujarat CM Narendra Modi is yet to arrive at Shivaji Park. Actor and former Maharashtra CM Vilasrao Deshmukh's son Riteish arrives. Prasanna Zore says Amitabh Bachchan looks pensive as he waits with other VVIPs for the Thackeray's body to arrive. Perhaps his thoughts are with the late Sena...
16:26
Videocon group boss Venugopal Dhoot (he also met the Thackerays at Matoshree when the Sena supremo was unwell), BJP's Jitendra Awhad, NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal and Praful Patel, BJP's Gopinath Munde, Prakash Javadekar take their seats at Shivaji Park. Pritish Nandy tweets: For those criticising...
16:19
And the bigwigs arrive: Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Ambani at Shivaji Park, Sharad Pawar, Rajeev Shukla at Shivaji Park. Arun Jaitley, Maneka Gandhi, LK Advani have also reached. The funeral procession is a few metres away from the cremation ground.
16:12
BJP president Nitin Gadkari, spokesperson Prakash Javadekar, senior leader Shahnawaz Hussain and state BJP president Sudhir Mugantiwar arrive at Shivaji Park.
16:03
A software professional and an avowed 'Marathi Manoos' (not necessarily in that order) on what Thackeray's death means to him. Read Sumit Rajwade's outpourings on Rediff.com.
15:58
At Shivaji Park, volunteers are scattering rose petals on the funeral pyre. Others are sprinkling the flowers with water so that they don't wilt in the heat. So what happens on Sundays and Sena-called bandh days in Mumbai? Gulli cricket, of course, and Thackeray's funeral is no exception. Just a...
15:51
Building with a view. Mumbaikars line up for a last look at Bal Thackeray's funeral procession en route to Sena Bhavan. Pic: Sanjay Sawant.
15:45
Bal Thackeray's body is now inside Sena Bhawan, the headquarters of the party. The family is inside with the body. Meanwhile, outside Sena Bhavan, a path has been cleared for the cortege to enter the 100 metre-distance to Shivaji Park.
15:38
Dr Jalil Parkar, who was one of the doctors attending to Bal Thackeray when he was critically ill over the last few days, is at Shivaji Park, reports Prasanna Zore.
15:17
Thackeray was a deeply divisive and polarising figure. Vir Sanghvi's must-read blog.
15:15
The funeral procession is way beyond schedule; it's already past 3 pm. Which means there will be barely any time for mourners to pay their respects at Shivaji Park. The body is supposed to be taken inside Sena Bhawan for 30 minutes and is supposed to be a private moment for the family. Bal...
15:07
The funeral procession of Bal Thackeray is 10 m away from Sena Bhavan. Sea of people here and it is extremely difficult for the cortege to move. There is barely any standing space on the roads outside Sena Bhavan. The body is expected to be taken in to the Sena HQ for 30 minutes. Only family and...
14:52
An_AristocraticRowdy tweets: paarthiv sharir is wearing sunglasses ! RIP balasaheb.
14:50
Bal Thackeray will be cremated with full state honours at Shivaji Park today. The body will be laid on a sandalwood pyre (just like Indira Gandhi's). The pyre is on a marigold-bedecked platform. The scheduled time for the funeral is 6 pm.
14:46
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has condoled the demise of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray saying the country has lost a great leader. I am deeply saddened by the passing away of Balasaheb Thackeray, the founder-president of the Shiv Sena. The nation and the state of Maharashtra have...
14:38
Here's what Mumbai looks like today: Shops, restaurants, hotels, cinema halls, malls and other commercial establishments remained shut and private vehicles, taxis, autorickshaws remained off the roads. Medical shops in the city as well as in neighbouring Thane were also closed. Citizens also...
14:24
Veteran actor Dilip Kumar, who will turn 90 on December 11, has shot down reports that he will have a grand bithday bash, insisting he and wife Saira Banu are yet to recover from the demise of Balasaheb Thackeray, Yash Chopra and Rajesh Khanna. It is appalling how few in the print media take the...
14:18
Raj Thackeray, who was overseeing the funeral arrangements at Shivaji Park is now back home at his Dadar. Meanwhile, Rediff.com's Prasanna Zore reporting from Sena Bhawan says supporters have found themselves vantage spots on trees before the funeral procession reaches there.
14:10
Mumbai Police commissioner Satyapal Singh, whose security arrangements today is remarkable, has cancelled his daughter's wedding reception party this evening.
14:08
Meanwhile, liquor baron Ponty Chadha,who was shot dead by his brother yesterday, continues to trend above Bal Thackeray.
14:05
The Shiv Sena has asked volunteers to help the police clear the road outside the Sena Bhawan. To give you an inkling of how difficult it is for the procession to pass through the city, it was supposed to reach Sena Bhawan at 9 am; it's yet to reach five hours on.
14:03
The funeral procession is now at Citylight cinema in Matunga, which would be approximately a kilometre away from the Sena HQ -- Sena Bhawan. The cremation as you are aware, is scheduled at 6 pm.
13:58
The Mumbai Mirror page 1 today. That's a picture by Raghu Rai.
13:57
Uddhav's son Aditya and Tejas and Smita Thackeray (ex-wife of Thackeray's estranged son Jaidev) with the cortege, when the funeral procession went past Mahim. To Smita's left is her son Subhash (bearded). Pic: Reuben N V
13:28
On Twitter: Abhishek Singhvi: Saheb might be a hate figure for @sardesairajdeep. But I wonder how many will mourn the death of Rajdeep. RIP Balasaheb.Sapna Agarwal: He went slowly, but I was still not prepared to say the final good bye.. Now will starve as we pay our condolences.. RIP...
13:04
How Bal Thackeray threw the INS Vikrant a lifeline Read more here.
12:58
Heavy cellphone traffic and SMSs in the aftermath of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's death affected telecom services in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. Read more
12:55
Patrick French's piece for the Economic Times today. Bal Thackeray was always easy to caricature, because he caricatured himself ' leering quizzically at us from in front of a photo of a tiger, posing theatrically in saffron beside a famous visitor, or gesturing ostentatiously from a carved...
12:53
Traffic blocked at Tilak Bridge-Dadar TT, Annie Besant Road, Veer Savarkar Road, Mori Road till 10 pm.Bal Thackeray's question to Times Now in an interview to Arnab Goswami a couple of years ago. When asked to comment that he held the remote control to Maharashtra politics, Thackeray said, What...
12:46
Raj Thackeray is at Shivaji Park overseeing the funeral arrangements. The body was supposed to have reached Shivaji Park at 10 am. The body was to be kept at Sena Bhavan for an hour. Sainiks have been asked to go on to Shivaji Park and not wait at Sena BhavanNDTV's Sreenivasan Jain tweets:...
12:39
Mourners carrying a giant saffron banner, said to be around a kilometre long. The funeral procession still on its way to Sena Bhavan, where the body is expected to be kept for a few minutes. The Shiv Sena Bhavan at Dadar, built in 1974 is where Bal Thackeray used to hold court every day. It is...
12:22
Thackeray could organise, but lacked a vision and wisdom to take it further,' says Shreekant Sambrani. Read the column on Rediff.com.
12:21
The body will be kept at Shiv Sena Bhawan for sometime to allow the party office-bearers to pay their last respects. If you're arriving at Mumbai today, what you should know is that there is a bandh-like situation in the city, with autos and taxis and call cabs off the road. However, local trains...
12:15
Rajdeep Sardesai tweets: Gave me an interview in 1988 as a cub reporter. Was generous with his time and thoughts. Offered me beer too! RIP.
12:12
TV channels running images every few hours of Uddhav and his son Aditya Thackeray in tears when Bal Thackeray's body was brought out of Matoshree this morning. Up ahead in the day, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi and BJP senior leader Sushma Swaraj will be at Balasaheb Thackeray's funeral. Swaraj...
11:55
Balasaheb Thackeray is dead; more or less. Actually less. This is because though Thackeary, aged 86, has passed away, Thackerayism will be very much around for decades to come. -- CP Surendran's blog on the Times of India. Read
11:53
An official of the BMC, who declined to be identified, said that special arrangements were made for the first-ever public cremation in the city at Shivaji Park in view of the massive crowds expected to attend.A home department official said that in view of the huge crowds likely to turn up for...
11:47
Thackeray's mortal remains will be consigned to flames on a specially-erected public platform at the historic Shivaji Park, south-central Mumbai, on Sunday evening, marking the first time a public cremation has occurred in Mumbai since independence.Supercop and ex-Mumbai Police Commissioner Julio...
11:43
Rediff.com's Ganesh Nadar reports that the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani will halt at Andheri and Borivali today to pick up passengers. Even after his death, that's Bal Thackeray's effect on Mumbai.
11:41
Bal Thackeray was my first friend when I arrived in Bombay in the winter of 1982. Thackeray disapproved of Bombay and called it Mumbai. But then he disapproved of many things, good and bad. -- Pritish Nandy's piece for the Hindustan Times. ReadColumnist and senior journalist Pritish Nandy was...
11:38
Rediff.com's Sonil Dedhia reports that in spite of drinking water arrangements made by the Shiv Sena, there is an apparent shortfall. A tempo with mineral water canisters has been besieged by people causing a minor scuffle.
11:38
Scores of Shiv Sainiks have arrived in Mumbai from different parts of the state, largely from neighbouring Thane, Raigad, Pune, Aurangabad and Konkan region, which are the bastions of the saffron party, founded on June 19, 1966. Lakhs of people were waiting since early morning to pay last...
11:27
People have lined up on roads, flyovers, skywalks and balconies of their buildings to catch a glimpse of the Sena patriarch and pay homage to him. In view of the legions of crowds pouring in to pay their last respects to Thackeray, it is estimated that the funeral procession would take more than...
11:18
Senior journalist and Dainik Divya Marathi chief editor Kumar Ketkar says this kind of a congregation has only been observed during the death of Babasaheb Ambedkar in 1956.
11:15
The funeral procession has now reached Mahim bridge, says Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar. People throwing flowers on Thackeray's national flag-draped body.
11:13
Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar who is travelling with the cortege says she saw Manohar Joshi accompanying Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya and Bal Thackeray's daughter-in-law Smita in the truck which is carrying the Sena supremo's body.
10:54
PTI reports that India opener Gautam Gambhir flew back to Delhi before the fourth day's play began in the first Test against England following his grandmother's death. The Indian team's media manager Vinod Deshpande told PTI that the opener took a flight to Delhi on Sunday morning after...
10:45
'We will feel a sense of relief only if we can fall at Balsaheb's feet,' some women Sainiks told Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar.
10:33
Amid re-ignited concerns over the macro-economic scenario in India and abroad, the rupee has again slipped below the 55-level against dollar, the largest fall among its major peers globally in the past 30 days. As against the US dollar, the rupee has sharply fallen from 52.88 levels one...
10:31
A startling unverified story claims 'the emir of Qatar gifted a number of watches and ballpoint pens to Hamas leaders, which transmitted low-frequency signals to Israeli satellites.' Unbelievable, if true!
10:29
Another slogan heard during the funeral procession: 'Evadi takath konachi? Balsahebanchi!' (Who has this kind of strength? Only Balasaheb!)
10:27
Another slogan heard during the funeral procession: 'Maharashtracha ekach wagah. Balasaheb! ('Maharashtra's only tiger, Balasaheb!)
10:26
Rediff.com's Sonil Dedhia reports a conversation with Shiv Sainiks where they compared Balasaheb Thackeray to Lokmanya Tilak. The Lokmanya's funeral took place at Chowpatty, they said; Balasaheb's last rites will take place at Shivaji Park.Both public locations, indicating their importance in...
10:23
Slogan heard during the funeral procession: 'Parath ya Parath ya, Balasaheb parath ya' (Come back please! Come back please! Balasaheb, come back please!)
10:21
Another Kumar Ketkar assessment of the Sena supremo, this time in Tehelka magazine.
10:18
'The Shiv Sena chief's critics too admit that Thackeray was originally a liberal, and that his Hindutva encompassed the masses unlike the upper caste constructs of the Sangh Parivar,' Dhaval Kulkarni says in DNA.
10:16
An hour after Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar's flight landed from Thiruvanathapuram, no sign of the luggage. Passengers calmly explain to each other, How can they come to work without transport?
10:14
'I wonder why NDTV is playing the Kokrajhar feature when the rest of the world is tuned in for the Thackeray funeral...'
10:08
Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar reports from Sahar international airport: 'Airport officials helping people with their luggage and telling us that BEST and private buses are plying, but no cabs.'
10:00
The flower-bedecked truck with a huge photograph of Balasaheb Thackeray and a tiger makes it way slowly towards the party headquarters, accompanied by hundreds of Shiv Sainiks.
09:58
Rediff.com's A Ganesh Nadar overheard this telephone conversation at the baggage carousel at the Sahar international airport: Come on 3 bikes and take us home.
09:53
The state government has announced that Balasaheb Thackeray will be accorded a State funeral, Maharashtra's Protocol Minister Suresh Shetty told PTI.
09:50
Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar overheard a conversation between two Shiv Sainiks: 'We only wanted darshan, but we may not be able to see our beloved Balasaheb. Only big leaders will get to see him.'
09:45
Balasaheb Thackeray was spotted in one television grab wearing the dark glasses he preferred in recent years, possibly to guard his ageing eyes against the harsh glare of the television camera lights.
09:43
Check out the Loksatta front page, paying tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray.
09:37
As the truck makes its way to Sena Bhavan, slogans rent the air.'Kon Ala, Kon Ala, Shiv Senacha Wagah Ala' (Who has come? Who has come? The Shiv Sena's Tiger has come!)
09:35
Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar reports from Kalanagar that a minor fracas occurred, but says it has been peaceful for the most part.
09:31
The truck carrying Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray to Ssena Bhavan and Shivaji Park leaves Kala Nagar, making its way through the sea of humanity.
09:29
Some 50-60 people can be seen on the 'Mukhya Rath' (the truck carrying Thackeray's body). These include family members, senior Sena leaders and a dozen senior police inspectors.
09:29
Perhaps it is for Uddhav Thackeray, who is recovering from the cardiac procedure he underwent just two weeks ago.
09:25
A grieving Uddhav Thackeray, his wife Rashmi, his sons Aditya and Tejas acknowledge mourners as announcements are made, asking people not to push, to avoid a stampede and women in the crowd fainting.
09:22
Sonil Dedhia reports that there will be two entrances for mourners at Shivaji Park -- one from the Sena Bhavan side; the other from the Cadell Road (Veer Savarkar Marg) side.
09:20
Police officers carried the body onto the truck, indicating that it is likely to be a state funeral for Balasabeb Thackeray who never held public office in his life.
09:19
Senior police officers, including Vishwas Nagre-Patil, draped Balasaheb Thackeray's body with the tricolour, and then saluted the Sena leader in what now seems indications of a state funeral.
09:15
Rashmi Thackeray, Udhav Thackeray's wife, and Sharmila Thackeray, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's wife, can be seen on the flower-decked truck.
09:11
Shiv Sena Working President Udhav Thackeray, who underwent angioplasty last fortnight, were among those who carried Balasaheb Thackeray's body from the family home, Matoshree, to the truck that will take the Sena supremo first to Sena Bhavan and then to Shivaji Park. Alongside him was his elder...
09:07
Balasaheb Thackeray's body leaves Matoshree.
09:07
Bal Thackeray's body is being brought out of Matoshree.Uddhav Thackeray's wife Rashmi is urging supporters waiting outside to maintain calmA sea of humanity is waiting outside Matoshree to catch a final glimpse of their leader.
09:06
Mail Today, the New Delhi tabloid, checks out what will happen to Ponty Chadha's many businesses after he was killed on Saturday. Read the story here.
09:04
If you are in Mumbai, avoid these roads today:Veer Savarkar Road - no entry from 6 am to 10 pm; No parking allowed.Annie Besant Road - no entry from 6 am to 10 pm; No parking allowed.Mori Road - no entry from 6 am to 10 pm.Babasaheb Worlikar Chowk - no entry from 6 am to 10 pm.LJ Road - no entry...
09:02
Prasanna D Zore reports: Raj Thackeray can be seen interacting with top Mumbai Police officialsOver 20,000 police personnel have been deployed across the city.Besides, 15 companies of State Reserve Police Force and three contingents of Rapid Action Force have been deployed
08:55
Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore reports: A truck accompanied by a band has just pulled into Matoshree.The truck has a slanted casket and two rows of eight chairs for the family and senior Sena leadersNo word yet on when the procession will begin
08:50
Savera Someshwar reports: The areas around Kala Nagar, the artists colony where Balasaheb Thackeray lived for over four decades, were teeming with humanity as people gathered for a glimpse of the cortege as it made its way to Sena Bhavan, the party headquarters near Shivaji Park, where the Sena...
08:10
Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore reports: Bal Thackeray's nephew Raj and his wife have just arrived at Matoshree.The funeral procession of the late Sena supremo will begin anytime now.
07:51
The Pioneer newspaper believes 'Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's announcement on Saturday that her party will bring a no-confidence motion against the UPA Government during the Winter Session of Parliament has virtually torpedoed the Opposition game plan to embarrass the Manmohan Singh...
07:49
Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper reports 'Uddhav Thackeray, who had an angioplasty this month, collapsed to the ground when doctors finally declared Bal Thackeray dead at 3.30pm today.' More here.
07:46
Meanwhile, more on the other big story, the Ponty Chadha killing from The Telegraph newspaper.
07:41
Kumar Ketkar's front page assessment in The Telegraph of Balasaheb Thackeray and his political legacy. Essential reading to understand Mr Thackeray's simple, but complex, politics.
07:22
Announcements are being made at Sena Bhavan requesting Sainiks to move towards Shivaji Park and not crowd Sena Bhavan, reports Sonil Dedhia.All roads leading to Shivaji Park from Mahim have been cordoned off for other vehicles.Many Sainiks were seen using ambulances as transport to Shivaji Park.
07:19
Even as the bylanes to L J Road, through which Balasaheb Thackeray's cortege will pass on Sunday morning have been cordoned off, Sonil Dedhia reports that milk and newspaper vendors in the Mahim area are functioning normally.The roads have been cleaned with water for the Sena supremo's final...
07:16
Quaid Najmi recounts his encounter with the Sena supremo in this interesting DNA feature, and how he thanked Thackeray for saving his life during the 1993 riots .
07:13
The Times of India profiles the three doctors who looked after Mr Thackeray's health for several years. two of whom are Muslim.
07:10
An interesting assessment by Prafulla Marapakwar in The Times of India about Mr Thackeray's politics vis-a-vis old friends and rivals like Sharad Pawar and George Fernandes. Please read it here.
07:04
Arvind Kejriwal tweets this morning: '@ArvindKejriwal7Someone has created a fake Twitter ID in my name and is soliciting donations. Beware. This is my real I'd. Kindly RT. Arvind Kejriwal.'
06:58
Rajesh Karkera reports that a group of policeman stopped his car on the Bandra flyover, above the Thackeray home, and requested water. A pity that no one has given a thought to the policemen on duty.
06:55
A Ganesh Nadar reports from Thiruvanathapuram airport: The Air India Express flight to Mumbai is packed to the brim. Not a single cancellation because Mumbai has shut down. Passengers look sleepy and certainly not worried about how they will get home from Sahar.
02:36
Who will Saudi Arabia appoint as its next Crown Prince?The man who will succeed the octogenarian King Khaled?A fascinating look at the contenders.
02:32
Check out this picture and you will know what we mean.The President is loosening up and hell, we hope it makes a difference to America.
02:30
Vickey Lalwani reports in the Mumbai Mirror how director Ramesh Sippy and his nephews are feuding over a 3D version of Sholay.
02:28
The Guardian reports at pro-choice rally in Dublin at Savita Halappanavar's death, 'activists reveal the rapes and illness forcing women to seek abortions.' Please read the report here.
02:23
Even as the death toll in Gaza, as a result of the Israeli air strikes, has mounted to 42, workers are opening the grave of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank. Work started on Saturday and is expected to take up to two weeks. Arafat's remains are to be exhumed by French,...
02:20
We are getting word that many cable operators in the city are blocking entertainment television channels until Bal Thackeray's funeral concludes on Sunday evening. Wonder if they will show the Motera Test, the best way to keep folks at home in our opinion. Especially, if Ojha and Ashwin...
02:15
In his column on Ponty Chadha in the Asian Age, Ashok Malik makes the point that, 'The past 10-odd years have seen a dramatic and disturbing shift in the imagination of Indian capitalism. Chadha was a symptom of this.'
01:41
PTI reports: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde will be unable to attend Bal Thackeray's funeral on Sunday as he needs to stay in Delhi. An order was issued recently that in the absence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from Delhi -- due to his visit to Cambodia from Sunday -- either...
01:36
Mail Today has posted a slide show on Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's last appearance at a party rally last year.This year's Dussera rally had a frail Thackeray addressing his supporters by pre-recorded video, asking them to back his political heirs.
01:32
With pre-paid taxis refusing to ply at Mumbai airport, passengers arriving in the city could not find transportation to go home. Or if they did, they had to pay heftily for the privilege.Read the Times report on the troubles passengers faced after Mr Thackeray's death.
01:28
The Times of India reveals that Shiv Sena Working President Uddhav Thackeray was advised rest after he complained of exhaustion on Saturday morning. The Sena's 110 corporators in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation met Udhav's wife Rashmi instead.When the Sena patriarch's end was near on...
01:21
The Hindu has a coherent account of how booze baron Ponty Chadha and his brother were killed in a shootout in Delhi on Saturday. At stake was a 12 acre farmhouse which both brothers had squabbled over for years. On Saturday, the feud turned deadly for the siblings who died in the...
01:18
Prasanna D Zore reports: The Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority office at Kala Nagar, minutes away from the Thackeray home, has been turned into a garrison by policemen who have taken shelter on the MHADA premises, eating and taking a nap there.
01:14
No chance, if what senior BJP MP Murli Manohar Joshi had to say on Saturday has his party leadership's mandate. Joshi said his party would disrupt Parliament till the government withdrew its proposal on FDI in retail.
01:12
The Hindustan Times's Dharmendra Jore lists the BJP-Sena state government's achievements when it was in power during 1995 and 1999, which he attributes to Mr Thackeray who was the famous 'remote control' for Sena chief ministers Manohar Joshi and Narayan Rane.
01:05
Meena Menon's eloquent piece in the Hindu about how Balasaheb Thackeray added the ingredient of ethnic identity to the brew of Maharashtra politics.
01:02
An interesting feature in The Hindu about the two cartoonists who began their careers at The Free Press Journal in the late 1940s and their relationship over the decades.
00:59
Mumbaikar Dilip D'Souza contributed this piece to The Daily Beast on Mr Thackeray.
00:41
An archival story from Mail Today on the slain booze baron.
00:40
Intriguing in this Reuters report, this disclaimer: 'Any opinions expressed here are those of the author, and not necessarily those of Thomson Reuters' Interesting piece...
00:27
Addressing the media Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh said the arrangements for Bal Thackeray's funeral in Mumbai were in place for the media, VIPs. He said that he had cancelled his daughter's wedding reception slated for today.
00:22
The last rites of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray will be performed at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, where he had addressed his followers for over four decades.The mortal remains of the 86-year-old Sena patriarch will be taken from his residence at 'Matoshree' to Sena Bhavan in Dadar around...
00:21
Satish Bodas reports: Preparations have started for the funeral of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Police have asked residents of Bandra, Mahim, Dadar, Shivaji Park areas to move vehicles parked on roads to make way for the cortege.
00:20
Raj Thackeray was at Shivaji Park till late in the night to monitor preparations for uncle Bal Thackeray's funeral tomorrow.
00:17
Tiger' Thackeray no more, Maharashtra mournsBalasaheb Thackeray: The Tiger of MaharashtraPHOTOS: Mumbai shuts down after Thackeray's deathPIX: Shiv Sainiks prepare for last saluteTributes pour in for Thackeray: 'Maharashtra orphaned'PIX: Shocked Sena workers rush to MatoshreeYesterday's live...
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