His fans feel that the world of ghazal is left with a void with the passing away of "immortal" Pakistani maestro Mehdi Hassan, who died in Karachi Wednesday. From Shreya Ghoshal to Anupam Kher, they all mourn his death, but feel his songs will keep him alive forever.

Hassan died after a prolonged illness. He was 84.

"We have grown up with his music. We have learnt a lot from his style and techniques. It is sad that he is gone, but the way he was living for past few years was not a life. So it is good for him that he is gone. My husband and I met him when we had gone to Pakistan. I will always remember his ghazal - 'Ranjish hi sahi," Chitra Singh told.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday expressed 'deep grief' over the passing away of Hassan. Singh said Hassan brought the sub-continental Sufi sensibilities to life through his songs.

"The influence of his passion for Urdu poetry and initial grooming in Dhrupad tradition earned for him a special place in the world of music," said statement issued on behalf of the PM.

"The Prime Minister extends his condolences to the bereaved members of Shri Mehdi Hassan's family," said the statement.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed his condolences over Hassan's death.

Sufi singer Zila Khan told a news channel: "Mehdi Hassan was a legend. His aesthetic were superior. In his field of work he was a king. He was one of my heroes."

Many others took to Twitter to pay respect to the singer, who sang soulful numbers like "Ranjish hi sahi" and "Abke bicchde khwaabon mein mile".

Here's what they had to say:

Anupam Kher: Very saddened to hear about my favourite ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan's demise. As a student I had gate- crashed into Pakistan Embassy to listen to him. RIP.

Kailash Kher: Another Legend (Mehdi Hassan) has gone from this world. Lagta hai ghazal ka suraj dukhon ke baadalon ne dhak diya (It seems the sun of ghazals is hiding behind clouds of sadness).

Shankar Mahadevan: RIP Mehdi Hassan saab, huge loss to the world of music. Your voice is immortal though.

Madhur Bhandarkar: Emperor of ghazals no more... R.I.P Mehdi Hassan. You will be missed sorely!



Shreya Ghoshal: Mehdi Hassan saab is no more. The voice, who made many music lovers and lovers find an expression of their hearts' stories, is gone. R.I.P. Saddened beyond comprehension.

"Jagjit ji (Jagjit Singh), now Mehdi saab. The voices who kept the legacy of ghazals alive are gone... This void can never be filled ever again."

Kabir Bedi: Saddened that Ghazal King Mehdi Hassan passed away. What a phenomenal impact he made with his unique voice and style!

Manoj Bajpayee: Ghazal King, one of my favourites, Mehdi saab passed away. May his soul rest in peace!

Meiyang Chang: My dad loved Mehdi Hassan saab. He was his biggest musical influence, and as a result, my first. RIP huzoor, your voice shall never fade away.

Dia Mirza: RIP Mehdi Hassan saab. Your songs are eternal.

Mehdi Hassan was outstanding: Lata Mangeshkar

India's nightingale Lata Mangeshkar, who made a rare collaboration with Mehdi Hassan for a song in an album, remembered the Pakistani ghazal maestro as an "outstanding singer" and said the news of his death Wednesday has left her upset.

"It is a very sad news. I am really upset ever since I heard this news. Not only me, the entire world loved his songs. There is no doubt about it that he was an outstanding singer," Mangeshkar told.





In 2010, "Tera Milana", a duet by the two legends was launched as part of an album named "Sarhadein". While Hassan recorded it in Pakistan in 2009, Mangeshkar later heard the track and recorded her part in India in 2010. It was later mixed together for a duet.

Hassan, known for ghazals like "Ranjish hi sahi", "Patta patta, boota boota", passed away at a Karachi hospital after a prolonged illness. He was 84.

Lata, 82, says they shared mutual respect.

"I have shared a very good relationship with him. I really respect him a lot and even he used to respect me a lot. I have met him just two to three times, he was a wonderful human being."

"Gaana ek aisi cheez hai jo sabko nazdeek rakhta hai...Gaanewale hamesha nazdeek ke hi hote hai (Music keeps everyone close, and singers are always close to one another)," added Mangeshkar.

She also took to Twitter to share her emotions and wrote that Hassan "brought an important change in ghazal segment" and that it would be difficult to "find an artist" like him.



"Wo bohot bade shastriya sangeet ke gayak bhi the, aur unke gaane me Rajasthan ke sangeet ki khushboo bhi thi," she wrote and added that he composed songs for her.

"Unhone mere liye kuchh gaane banaaye the, unme se hi ek ghazal jo unhone mujhe gaake bheji thi, uska maine duet karke record kiya tha. Unke saath mera ye ek hi gaana hai (He had composed some songs for me. Of these, one ghazal which he sang and sent to me, I recorded as a duet. That was my only song with him)," she wrote.

"Main ishwar se prarthana karti hun ki Mehdi sahab ki aatma ko woh shaanti pradan karein (May his soul rest in peace)," she added.