I was asked by Khansaheb if I would accompany him to the Shraadanjali function for Sivanand Patil. I hadn’t even realized he had died. Khansaheb said that he had had a freak accident getting down from a bus. I had heard him sing once years ago. He was a good singer struggling like many others to make a successful career. Khansaheb wanted to attend as he knows SP’s widow Yojana Patil. Khansaheb is in a wheelchair and negotiating stairs, lifts, taxis etc. is not easy. Yojana was dignified and graceful. She did something unusual which was to sing herself- a full rendering of puriya dhanashri, then abhang, natya sangeet, and bhajan. She is a very good singer and I particularly liked the items after the raga which were sung with much emotion. A doddering Sushila Rani Patel was stopped when departing to say a few words. After all the Marathi and some Hindi tributes she chose English and said to the effect that she had just heard something unique and very beautiful- a widow singing at the shraadanjali of her husband. There are others who might have found it inappropriate and strange. I have great respect for her and the way she conducted the proceedings in her profound grief.
