Bangalore: Amidst a pall of gloom over the weekend with the Government declaring a three-day State mourning, a large number of admirers of Jnanapith awardee Dr UR Ananthamurthy (URA) paid their last respects to the litterateur whose mortal remains were placed at the Ravindra Kala Kshethra for public viewing this morning, on Saturday August 23.

Meanwhile, several admirers and dignitaries visited his Dollars Colony residence to share the grief of the family.

Dr UR Ananthamurthy, passed away at a private hospital last evening following health complications. He was 82. He leaves behind his wife Esther, son Sharath, daughter Anuradha and other relatives.

A concrete podium was built at Suvarna Kala Grama in the Bangalore University Campus, Gnanabharati, where he will be cremated as per the Hindu rituals, with State Honours at 4 pm. His body will be brought in a procession from Ravindra Kala Kshethra to the cremation site, passing through K.R. Market area and Mysore road.

Special prayers were offered by members of Muslim and Christian organizations, apart from singing devotional songs.

Among the dignitaries who paid their last respects at Ravindra Kala Kshethra include Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, ministers Dr HC Mahadevappa, RV Deshpande, Umashree, TB Jayachandra, Dinesh Gundu Rao, Vinay Kumar Sorake and other Cabinet colleagues, KPCC President Dr G Parameshwara, former Union Minister SM Krishna, Union Ministers DV Sadananda Gowda and Ananth Kumar, former DCM R Ashok, freedom fighter HS Doreswamy, B Jayashree, MLC Thara and a host of litterateurs and theatrists.