Lata Mangeshkar, the melodious nightingale of India, passed away after nearly a month of hospitalization. Diagnosed with Covid-19 and pneumonia, the legendary singer passed away at the age of 92. Bharat Ratna awardee, Lata Mangeshkar, was cremated with full state honours. To extend their respect to the artist, the Government of India also announced two days of state mourning. A public holiday was announced in Maharashtra as well.
From the classic Lag Jaa Gale to an emotionally charged Luka Chuppi, Mangeshkar gave us songs that will forever stay iconic. But, more than this, there was a person who not many know. Beyond music and creating songs that became iconic in all these years, the singer was always helping and inspiring others. She had life lessons that impacted people to a great extent and knowledge that helped many artists carve their niche in the music industry.
Here Are 5 Lesser-Known Facts About The Legendary Singer That Not Many Know:
She Was Being Slowly Poisoned
Back in 1962, Mangeshkar was suffering from serious health issues. The doctor, who diagnosed her ailment, had then told her that she was being ‘slowly poisoned’, possibly by her servant. The incident has been mentioned in Nasreen Munni Kabir’s book, Lata in Her Own Voice. The singer had told the writer that she was bedridden for three months. “In 1962, I fell very ill for about three months. One day, I woke up feeling very uneasy in my stomach. And then I started throwing up—it was terrible, the vomit was a greenish colour. The doctor came and even brought an X-ray machine home because I could not move. He X-rayed my stomach and said I was being slowly poisoned,” she said in the book.
She Raised Money For India’s 1983 World Cup Winners
‘Kapil’s Devils’, as they were called back then, won the 1983 cricket World Cup beating the mighty West Indies at Lords. Dilip Vengsarkar narrated how she helped raise money to celebrate the win on a grander note. “After our World Cup victory, the cricket board announced Rs 25,000 prize money for each player. Lata didi was apparently taken aback by this (low sum). After our return to the country, she organised a fundraising musical concert for us (in Delhi) and awarded Rs 1 lakh to each player in the team. It was a big sum during that time and bigger than what the board had offered us,” said Vengsarkar.
She Named Nitin Mukesh’s Son
Neil Nitin Mukesh got his name from none other than Lata didi. He shared rare pictures of the singer with his grandfather Mukesh and father Nitin Mukesh on Twitter. He penned down an emotional note and wrote, “Cannot even begin to tell you what my family feels at this moment. We are devastated. For my fatherr@nitinmukesh9, music began with her and ended with her. He is inconsolable. Lata didi was the Goddess that my father and all of us worshipped SAAKSHAT SARASWATI.”
When She Expressed How She Hates Changes
Changes are always good but sometimes when you look back at the older days, you realise how cherishable those moments were. Something very similar happened with Lata Mangeshkar. Back in 2013, she told Hindustan Times, “I appreciate the change associated with people’s growth, but I don’t like the changes in our lives. I came to Mumbai in 1945, so imagine my acceptance of the massive changes around. I have witnessed every kind of revolution,” she said.
“We would step out at 4am and roam about freely in Chowpathy without the fear of being molested, mugged or crushed under the wheels of a car. There were hardly any accidents then. And the sense of fear was almost nil. That kind of luxury is next to impossible in today’s times. Everything is different and fairly strange today as compared to the golden days.”
When Lata Mangeshkar Sang In Front Of Her Idol Noor Jehan
Lata ji was asked to sing in front of Noor Jehan, the legendary Pakistani singer who left India after the Partition, and it was a dream-come-true moment for her. Talking about the same, she had told Munni Kabir, “One day, I was on the Badi Maa set and Master Vinayak introduced us saying, ‘This is Noor Jehan ji. Sing her a song.’ So I sang Raag Jaijaiwanti. She then asked me to sing a film song, so I sang R.C. Boral’s ‘Jeevan hai bekaar bina tumhaare’ from the film Wapas.”
She disclosed that when she was singing, she recalled her father’s words. He had told Lata ji that if you sing in front of your guru, consider yourself a guru. “So I sang with that thought in mind and she liked my voice. She told me to practise and said I will be a very good singer someday,” she added.
The legendary singer holds the honour of being the first-ever Indian to perform in the prestigious Royal Albert Hall, London. The government of France also granted her the Officer of the Legion of Honour in 2007, which is the country’s highest civilian award. We will truly miss her.
(Featured Image Credits: Twitter)
