A rare gem called Lata

Nonika Singh

Hers was a voice touched by Ma Saraswati. Her admirers, of course, put, the iconic Lata Mangeshkar on the same pedestal. Love, pathos, beauty, patriotism, bhakti…there isn’t a mood that does not have a Lata song. Timeless, a voice beyond mortal standards … so how do we mark her birth anniversary? By recalling the Bharat Ratna awardee’s greatness, by paying her more compliments. But then what more can be said about the rare gem in the galaxy of Indian music, who recorded her first song at age 13.

Ghazal singer Vinod Sehgal, who had the rare honour of not only meeting the legend but also witness her record a song, has only one word, “Nishabd.” Working as chief assistant director to music director Hansraj Behl, who composed a tune for her, he remembers Lata as a picture of tranquillity. Calm and collected, she hardly said a word when she heard the song to be picturised in the film Jugni (1979). He reminisces, “Yet all the time she was internalising the lyrics and the tune, and when she began to sing it was sheer magic. It was an ethereal experience.”

Thorough professional

Celebrated music composer Shantanu Moitra too had an opportunity to interact with her when she recorded the opening lines of the song he composed for 100 years of Indian Cinema. He says, “Until she knew the song like the back of her hand, she would not start singing.”

As a Bengali, he was suitably impressed by her Bengali repertoire of songs, her fluency in the language and diction. Singer of thousands of songs in umpteen languages, Moitra states, “It was not just her golden voice but also flawless diction that made music directors like Salil Chowdhry pick her over other talent.”

A God’s gift honed to perfection by diligent practice, Moitra asks, “How else can you explain the fact that she sang for six generation of music directors?” Indeed, from SD Burman to his son Pancham da, from Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad Ali, Sardul Singh Kwatra, Amarnath, Husanlal, Madan Mohan to AR Rahman and Vishal Bhardwaj … she remained a voice wrapped in melody that continued to echo through corridors of time.

As for his favourite song, Sehgal says, “O mere sanam, o mere sanam from the film Sangam.” Punjabi music composer Brijesh Ahuja picks up the songs Pyaar de bhulekhe kinne sohne and Lai aa te tod nibhavin, duets she sang with Mohammed Rafi and Mahendra Kapoor, respectively. He says, “Both are high-pitched songs more suited to male voices, and only she could match them.”

Lifetime of reverence

Back in time, legends like Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan gave her a nod of wholehearted approval, “Kambakht kabhi besura nahi gaati.” Today Ahuja swears by her sur, taal, lay, range and versatility. Admired to the point of reverence in her lifetime, a lifetime perhaps is required to decode her singing prowess and how she made us fall in love with the very notion of love.

Aaj Kal Paon Zameen Par Nahin Padte Mere…her memorable songs brimming with that wistful feeling of romance would always make us walk on those dreamy clouds.