Battling with death for over a month, the Rajmata breathed her last at a Pune hospital late Saturday night. She was 76 and is survived by her sons Congress MP Abhaysinhraje, Vijaysinhraje and Shivajirao, a married daughter Satwashilaraje and grandson, Minister of State Udayanraje.

The city of Satara observed a total bandh today as a mark of respect to aaisaheb as she was known to thousands among her rayot who, through the traditions flown down from generations, revere the royal family.

Her eldest son Vijaysinhraje consigned her mortal remains to fire at Kshetra Mahuli amidst the chantings of vedic hymns in presence of a large number of her admirers.

Operated successfully at a private nursing home in Pune, last week, the Rajmata responded to medication initially. ``Do not deviate from your duties,'' she told her family while on the death bed, according to her family sources.

Her body was later shifted to Satara and had been kept at the Adalatwada for people coming from all over the district to pay their last reverences to her.

Sumitraraje, nee Urmila Devi, was born on October 15, 1923 in the royal Pawar family of erstwhile princely State of Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Married to Shrimant Shahumaharaj of Satara in May 1939, she became the member of 11th generation of the family of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Sumitraraje had dedicated her life to preserve the heritage of the 17th century Maratha warrior king and also had actively engaged herself in social activities. She also had taken keen interest in renovating the Bhavani temple atop Fort Pratapgad and the Shiva temple at Shikhar Shingnapur besides construction of a meghadambari -- decorative arch -- at Fort Raigad.

She started a hostel for the widows of soldiers who had lost their lives during the Indo-Chinese conflict and also had extended her helping hand to the earthquake-hit people of Koyna in December 1967.

Besides serving in various governmental and non-governmental committees, she had also fostered the scouts and guides movement by being its Satara district commissioner and was associated with several other organisations.

Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare, Srimant Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, MPCC president Prataprao Bhosale, general secretary Ulhas Pawar, former MPs Prithwiraj Chavan, Vitthal Tupe, MLAs Ajit Pawar, Ramraje Naik- Nimbalkar, Vikramsinh Patankar, Sadashiv Sapkal, MLC Vishnuanna Patil, Cooperative Council chairman Shambhuraje Desai and others paid their respects to the departed soul at Adalatwada.Chief Minister Narayan Rane accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde and Labour Minister Sabir Shaikh called on the bereaved family at Adalatwada later in the day.

The Rajmata gave strength to several institutions, remaining away from the active politics. She was the lokmata, Rane later said.