Lata Mangeshkar: The Nightingale with a Brave Heart

Lata Mangeshkar, a remarkable woman, a legend, an icon, an extraordinary and wonderful human being passed away on Sunday, February 6, at the age of 92. 

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Lata Mangeshkar, a rare soul, immensely talented, wise, gentle, brave and powerful, with a mesmerizing voice—as Gulzar put in a song for her to sing, “meri awaaz hi pehachan hai” (My voice is my identity), over the decades her voice has become her identity in the subcontinent—had a Dickensian childhood.

She was born on September 28, 1929 in Indore. Her parents were Dinanath Mangeshkar and Sudhamati. Dinanath Mangeshkar, her father, was a classical singer. By virtue of his profession, they had a kind of nomadic life. It deprived the children of proper schooling. This, he, of course, sought to compensate by teaching music lessons to them right from an early age.

After the death of her father in 1942, Latadi, at the age of 13, was to become the breadwinner of the family. She took to acting, though hated it very much—“I hated putting on make-up; hated standing in the glare of lights …there was hardly any choice left … there was nothing to eat in the house”—and singing to make ends meet.

It was Master Vinayak, a friend of her deceased father, who helped her get started as an actor and singer. At the age of 13, she commenced her singing career with the film, ‘Pahili Mangalagaur’ (1942).

It is Ghulam Haider, who instilled in her the importance of feeling the joy and pain of the character while singing, gave her first major break with the song, ‘Dil mera toda mujhe kahin ka na chhora’ (broke my heart and left me high and dry) in the movie 'Majboor' (1948). Obviously, it was perceived as a craft undeveloped.

Then came Naushad Ali, who offered Lata the song ‘Uthhaae ja un ke sitam aur jie ja (Put up with his atrocities and live on)/ Yun hi muskuraate ja, ansu pie ja’ (keep smiling, swallowing your tears) penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri for the film Andaz (1949). It was set to a tune based on the Raag Kedar with all the antaras in a different style. Perhaps, being overinfluenced by her friend, superstar singer, Noor Jahan, 0r, as directed by Naushad, Lata sang it imitating the voice of Noor Jahan, and of course, it became quite popular more because of her better voice. 

Soon, she developed her own honeyed way of singing which became visible right from the songs of Raj Kapoor’s 'Barsaat' (1949)—Jiya bekaraar hai chhaai bahaar hai / Aja more baalama tera intajaar hai; chhod gaye balam mujhe hai akelaa chhod gaye / tod gaye balam meraa pyaar bharaa dil tod gaye—set to music by Shankar-Jaikishan. This film was released just after two months of the release of 'Andaaz' in 1949 and became a grand success.

However, her first major hit was said to be, “Aayega Aanewala”(he will come, he who is to come), sung for Madhubala under the baton of Khemchand Prakash from the film 'Mahal' released in Ocober,1949.

Thereafter, with a dint of hard practice she improved the vital coloratura to mould her voice and her singing style uniquely to suit the needs of the song very early in her singing career. And, there was no looking back thereafter—indeed, as Shankar of Shankar-Jaikishan duo once commented, “the barsat that had started in 1948 keeps [kept] pouring” till her death.  

We can see the unique style of singing that Lataji cultivated adopting the mantra of  ‘practice, practice, practice’, blooming effervescently in the songs of the film, 'Anarkali' released in 1953. A classic example is: notice with what a gorgeous alaap she begins the romantic version of the song, Yeh zindagii usii kii hai jo kisii ka ho gayaa (This life belongs to only to whomever lets their soul to someone) / pyaar hii mei kho gayaa (one who gets lost in love) and ends the sad version with a haunting finale: ‘Alviidaah (Adieu), alviidaah, alviidaah, alviidaah….'

Listening to the song, perhaps, particularly her bidding adieu in such a sweet high note in repitition, no wonder if Bade Ghulam Ali Khan remarked, “Kambakth kabhi besuri nahin hoti” (the wretched girl never goes out of tune).

She, working right up until the end of her life successfully, became an "indisputable and indispensable queen of India's playback singers". In 2001, she was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, for her contributions to Indian music.

Latadi was not shy of taking a firm stand when it comes to raising her prices or to fight for royalties on her songs. She is known to stand by her own value-system, in the process of which, she even turned down offers to sing for certain music directors even. 

So much goodness, so much dedication for the family, and richness in one soul. Her life is a shining example for us to aspire for something. I humbly pay my tributes to this brave lady of versatile genius.

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