Loutolim (Goa), Dec 12 (IANS): Goa bid a moving, teary farewell to acclaimed artist Mario Miranda, who was consigned to flames at a crematorium after a funeral mass at a church as he had wished.

The funeral mass at 9.30 a.m., which was also attended by several artistes and politicians from Goa, was held at the Saviour of the World Church in Loutolim, Miranda's ancestral village.

After that his body was taken to the Hindu Mathgram crematorium, near Margao, 35 km from here, and consigned to the flames as per his wishes.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who was present during the funeral procession said although the artist was no more, Mario Miranda's work was immortal.

"Whenever I want to see what Goa was earlier, I look up Mario Miranda's works," Kamat said, adding that Goa had lost one of its foremost sons.

Miranda's immediate family, designer Wendell Rodricks, fado singer Sonia Sirsat, several local politicians and hundreds of well wishers joined the funeral and cremation proceedings.

The 85-year-old Padma Bhushan awardee died in his sleep at his home in Loutolim Sunday.