Balasaheb: Mumbai restoring normalcy

India's financial capital Mumbai crawled back to normalcy on Monday, a day after the city bid adieu to Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray, who was cremated with state honours at Shivaji Park on Sunday.

The Shiv Sena on Sunday clarified it had not called for a Mumbai bandh on Monday.

"We have not called for any kind of shutdown," said party spokesperson Anil Parab.

On Monday, buses and taxis were back on the roads and trains were seen running on schedule.

Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) buses also operated on schedule, said officials.

However, the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) asked the trading community to shut down in Maharashtra in order to observe 'Shradhanjali Day´ for the Shiv Sena supremo.

The bullion market, Zaveri Bazar, also remained closed.

Schools that were scheduled to re-open on Monday after the Diwali break will resume from Tuesday.

Thackeray died on Saturday after battling ailments for days, ending an era in Maharashtra and national politics in course of which many opposed to his functioning struggling to come to terms with his brand of firebrand nationalism. He was 86.

On Sunday evening, amid chanting of Vedic hymns, shouts of "Amar Rahe", a 21 gun salute and tears of countless followers and political heirs- son Uddhav Thackeray and nephew Raj Thackeray-, Bal Thackeray was cremated at Shivaji Park here after a daylong funeral procession that traversed across Mumbai, a city that the late Maratha pride champion almost controlled with iron hand for decades.

Uddhav and Raj, who were seen burying their political animosity of late, were crying as the late leader was placed in the pyre prepared at the ground as a special case. Thackeray had launched the party 46 years ago at the same venue.

The funeral pyre was lit at around 6-16 pm by son Uddhav who also performed other rites. Lakhs of people stood in disciplined manner as lived their personal moments of grief as the flames consumed the mortal remains of Thackeray.