Mumbai The Nightingale of India Lata Mangeshkar passed away on 6 February. Today is the first death anniversary of the singer. Everyone is remembering him on this occasion. He was honored with many awards including Bharat Ratna. Everyone misses the singer a lot. Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya to Anu Malik have remembered Lata Mangeshkar on her first death anniversary.
Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya remembers Lata Mangeshkar and says- ‘I am one of those lucky singers who got the opportunity to sing with Lata ji not only in films but also in stage shows. In this journey, I heard his scolding many times and also got a lot of love. When I had just come to Mumbai, I went to her Taddev’s studio in the pouring rain to see this goddess of music. In those times of poverty, I did not even have an umbrella and went with plastic on my head. At that time also he offered me tea. Ten years after that I was singing with him. I consider it as luck. I got a chance to sing with him in films like Darr and Parampara, and also did a lot of stage shows with him. I used to sing songs like ‘Kora Kagaz Tha Ye Man Mera’, ‘Chandni Raat Hai, Tu Mere Saath Hai’, ‘Ek Chanchal Shokh Haseena’ with him in stage shows. Today it has been a year since he left, but I feel that he is among us. I used to listen to him when I was in Kanpur and still listen to him today. His music is embedded in our lives.
Composers Vishal-Shekhar, who created a worldwide sensation with the music of the film ‘Pathan’, remembered Lata Mangeshkar- ‘I didn’t get a chance to work with her, but I remembered one of her phone calls for the rest of my life. I got a call during ‘Indian Idol 12’, at first I couldn’t believe that it was Lata ji on the line, then her bubbly voice like a school girl mesmerized me. He made that call to appreciate the contestants and judges of ‘Indian Idol 12’. I was happy to hear that. She was a great singer, but she was full of humility. In that phone call too, he had taken the names of all the judges and contestants and appreciated everyone’s work. He is a musical institution for whom no epithet or title suffices. Till date, there is hardly any episode of Indian Idol in which he is not mentioned. She was the ocean of music.
Anu Malik says- ‘I consider her to be Mother Saraswati. He had that treasure of singing, which never diminished. I consider myself lucky to have got a chance to work with this powerhouse of music. Every song I recorded with him was a learning experience for me. I never felt his departure. I think, they are around us and encourage us, guide us every moment. His songs have become a part of our lives.
