She had already met her in Bali through a psychic, said Ramani, who sported a simple salwar-kameez for the occasion. ``I communicated with Protima after she died and she told me that she has reunited with her son, Siddharth, and is very happy. She wanted all of us to be happy for her too''.

Those who had gathered to join Ramani, ``her closest friend and soul sister'' didn't seem to be beside themselves with such joy. They did their bit for the shraddhanjali, though. Especially her daughter, former actress Pooja, who had flown down from Mumbai for the evening. She said that ``everyone has to go some day and I believe that people who go on such journeys always attain nirvana.'' For Pooja, attired in black culottes and kurta, her mother symbolised living life to the fullest.

The gathering was less than full, but it was more than made up for in emotion. There was a lot of it on display. Even from ghazal singer Rita Ganguly, who had met Protima Gauri for all of ten minutes, but had been absolutely convinced that she was breathtakingly beautiful.

Surupa Sen, Protima Gauri's disciple, who had seen rather more of her, then performed two Odissi dances taught to her by `Gauri Maa'. Sen said little, letting her feet do the talking. Then Ramani let Protima Gauri do the talking, this time via the screen. She showed a nine-minute film, where Bedi danced, spoke about Nrityagram (her adopted village near Bangalore), and then declared her desire to leave the world.

Among those who attended the evening, which Ramani insisted was going to be a happy one, were CNN's South Asia correspondent Anita Pratap, in black trousers and a blue shirt, and US Ambassador Richard Celeste's wife, Jacqueline Lundquist.

For Ramani, Bedi was a friend who grew with her. ``We started our two villages together,'' Ramani said. ``I still remember Protima looking for money with her bottomless bowl. I found out about her death when I was in Bali. When I spoke to her, we assured each other that we would communicate with each other frequently''.

Her advice is something Lynne Fernandez must really be seeking now. The managing trustee of Nrityagram says Protima Gauri was quite a character, an extremist. ``If she loved, it was to an extreme. If she hated, then it was to an extreme, too,'' Fernandez recalled. She said she provided her a lot of support and courage. ``And when she died, I felt a void. She was an extraordinary woman''.

That was the spirit Ramani had wanted to salute, even though the rain and the music system played hooky. But at least Ramani's husband Georges Mailhot captured everything for posterity, including Malini Ramani's little dog with bells around his neck, on his handycam.