Music brings together people who are otherwise divided by language, caste, creed, or religion. The music industry on Sunday suffered a loss after veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar passed away at the age of 92.
The music maestro was remembered by young and old. While celebs like Shah Rukh Khan offered dua for her, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting of Pakistan, Fawad Chaudhry, said her death marks the end of an era of music.
Taking to social media, Bollywood actor Tuhinaa Vohra shared some unknown facts about the ‘Nightingale Of India’ that will make you love the late star even more.
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In the long post, Vohra wrote that her grandfather, late composer Anil Biswas had mentored the legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar and taught her breath control and how not to break up words or phrases in songs.
Vohra went on to write that she was a keen photographer, and exceptionally fond of cricket.
“Everyone knows the legend that is Lata didi, and how for decades singers would emulate her voice, but not many know that she was a keen photographer, and exceptionally fond of cricket.”
Referring to the second of the three throwback pictures Vohra shared, she wrote that during her struggling days Lata Ji couldn’t afford to eat non-veg. Hence, her grandfather used to cook it for her and they would eat and sing together.
“The second picture is a glimpse into a more personal space. In her struggling days, she would walk all the way from Tardeo to Dadar to my grandfather’s house to practice music with him. Knowing she was fond of food, especially non-veg, and knowing she could not afford it then, he would cook it for her and they would eat and sing together.”
She further added:
“Once, they were out somewhere and a piece of music came to him. He asked her to mentally note down the two lines of Saraswati Vandana that he had just composed. That piece of music was never completed nor ever recorded.
However, 60 years later, when my mother met her, she remarked that she had last seen my mum in a little blue frock, and then belted out those two lines randomly relayed to her six decades ago. An ode to her remarkable memory, but also her fondness for my granddad.”
Vohra’s grandad had shared with her that ever since Lata Mangeshkar started singing, music directors became fearless about composing.
“Anil Biswas said that after Lata Mangeshkar’s advent into the world of Hindi cinema, music directors became fearless about composing, because no matter how tough the composition, she could sing it!”
She also recalled how Lata Ji threatened the state government that she would leave Mumbai if they constructed a flyover near her residence.
“Bombayites will miss the grand old dame, who was allowed to complain that if they tried to build a flyover next to her house, it would disturb her riyaaz, and if there was the insistence on constructing, to threaten that she would move out of this city.” (sic)
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People online loved going down memory lane and learning these interesting facts about their beloved Lata didi.
Keeping the legend in our thoughts and prayers. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family.