Gadag was close to his heart

“He talked to us all affectionately and inquired about the developments in Gadag. He asked about the Veeranarayana temple, the municipal school as also the streets in the town,” she reminisces about her visit last year to Pune for a programme on Sawai Gandharva.

Joshi’s family at his ancestral house at Masari in the town plunged into grief, on hearing the news of his death. Visitors, including Gadag tahsildar D B Konnura, poured in to offer condolences. The legend’s brothers Sushilendra, Pranesh and Vadiraja left for Pune.

“I should have died first. His death has pained me a lot,” Godhu Bai said. Recalling that the singer shared a good relationship with her and her children, she said that he had visited Gadag only a few times, since the time he had shifted to Pune after his mother’s death.

“His health had been deteriorating since last year and I was very concerned. My daughter had been praying at the Veeranarayana temple daily for his recovery,” said Godhu Bai. She recalled that Joshi could not be present in the town when his father had died. However, Godhu Bai was happy that her son had gone on to be an asset for the country.