Story of a Great Singer Lata Mangesgkar

Hi,

I have written this about Lata ji's life, how her life started

Born - Hema Mangeshkar 28 September 1929 Indore, Indore State, Central India Agency, British India (now in Madhya Pradesh, India)

Died - 6 February 2022 (aged 92) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Like such a lot of myths and misrepresentations regarding the Goddess Of All Melodious Things, which have been floating round at the same time as she turned into nonetheless right here with us, the misinformation concerning the milestone historical album titled Sajda that she recorded with Jagjit Singh desires to be extinguished with instantaneous effect. I am speakme approximately the myth that Jagjit Saab’s better-1/2 Chitra Singh wouldn’t “allow” him to sing with the awesome Lata Mangeshkar although he was pining to accomplish that.

This is whole bunk. And all the ones who've heard the captivating content in Sajda which to at the present time endures as a consummate masterpiece of Ghazal composition, and one of the greatest albums in Lataji’s repertoire, is testimony to Chitra Singh’s assist in making the dream mission come proper.

“Pataa nahin waqt kaise nikal gaya. Chitra and I became so a hit we had no concept time for the album that I desired to do with Latabai. Also, Latabai become busy with numerous recordings day in and day out. We each wished a section of freedom and respite to do Sajda,” Jagjit Saab told me. Sajda ultimately befell in 1991 after years of dreaming and delay. The credit need to go to Sanjeev Kohli, son of the illustrious composer Madan Mohan and at that time a top government at HMV/Saregama, who driven for the album to appear.

Lata ji discovered that initially Sajda, recorded in 1991, changed into speculated to have best her solos. “It changed into imagined to be simplest me making a song to Jagjitji's compositions. But I informed him he needed to sing as properly. This become my risk to sing with a voice I had appreciated for years. Sajda turned into an concept put forward by way of Madan Bhaiyya's son Sanjeev Kohli who labored at that point with HMV. They asked me if I would like to do an album with Jagjitji. I turned into recreation. Jagjitji got very emotional after I sang his composition ‘Dard Se Mera Daaman Bhar De’. He turned into going via a private tragedy and the music touched his coronary heart.”

This is a complete bunk. And all the ones who've heard the fascinating content material in Sajda which to these days endures as a consummate masterpiece of Ghazal composition, and one of the finest albums in Lataji’s repertoire, is testimony to Chitra Singh’s aid in making the dream assignment come actual.

For years and years, Jagjit Saab harboured the dream of doing an album with his Latabai. The cynics said it wasn’t happening due to the fact his spouse opposed the idea. This was a ways from the truth. Chitra knew Lataji from long earlier than Jagjit. Chitra became a chorus singer in some of Latajis songs in 1960 and a massive fan of the Nightingale. After Chitra coupled with Jagjit, the duo have become a rage on level.

“Pataa nahin waqt kaise nikal gaya. Chitra and I became so a success we had no idea time for the album that I wanted to do with Latabai. Also, Latabai become busy with severa recordings day in and day trip. We each wanted a section of freedom and respite to do Sajda,” Jagjit Saab instructed me.

Sajda in the end occurred in 1991 after years of dreaming and postpone. The credit score should visit Sanjeev Kohli, son of the illustrious composer Madan Mohan and at that time a pinnacle government at HMV/Saregama, who driven for the album to show up.

How a great deal poorer the music world could had been without Sajda! The floor-breaking Ghazals, 7 solos with the aid of Lataji, and her four duets with Jagjit Singh, plus 2 solos through Jagjit are architectural marvels. These are compositions of eternal resplendence, every one a self-contained Taj Mahal of a introduction.

Lataji’s solos Dard se mera daaman bhar de (poetry: Qatil Shifai),Meri tasveer mein rang aur kissika toh nahin(Muzaffar Warsi), and Dhuan banake fiza mein uda diya mujhko(Nazeer Baqri) rank among her greatest Ghazals, right subsequent to Madan Mohan’s compositions in Adalat and Jahan Ara, and Hridaynath Mangeshkar’s Ghalib.

Then there are her duets with Jagjit Singh, the most effective songs they sang collectively: Har teraf har jegah besghumar aadmi, Gham ka khazana tera bhi hai mera bhi and Mili hawaon mein udne ki woh sazaa yaaron…. 40 years after composition, every music in Sajda sounds as fresh and handy as it become composed the day gone by.

Lata ji had spoken to me approximately the album Sajda and Jagjit Singh: “The first time I heard about Jagjit Singh, I become recording with Madan Mohan who informed me, 'Ek Jagjit naam ka ladka aaya hai bahut achcha gaata hai.' When I heard his voice I turned into bowled over, but by some means Jagjitji's voice was now not considered suitable for movie heroes at that point. As time surpassed his voice have become a household name and he sang for lots movie heroes.But it become the music Sarakti jaye hai rukh se naqaab ahista ahista which I simply could not get out of my head. Jagjitji became exceptionally prompted via Mehdi Hassan and regularly he moulded his voice in his fashion. He also met his destiny spouse Chitra Singh and they became a very saleable Ghazal-singing couple. So many different couples ultimately attempted to emulate the Jagjit-Chitra fashion, but in useless.”

Lata ji discovered that initially Sajda, recorded in 1991, became alleged to have handiest her solos. “It become supposed to be handiest me making a song to Jagjitji's compositions. But I informed him he needed to sing as well. This become my threat to sing with a voice I had favored for years. Sajda become an idea put forward via Madan Bhaiyya's son Sanjeev Kohli who worked at that point with HMV. They requested me if I would really like to do an album with Jagjitji. I become sport. Jagjitji were given very emotional once I sang his composition Dard se mera daaman bhar de. He become going through a non-public tragedy and the song touched his heart.”

The private tragedy that Lataji alluded to become the loss of life of Vivek, Jagjit, and Chitra’s best son who died at age 19 in 1990. It left the couple shattered. Chitra in no way sang once more. Another famend singer Chithra from the South additionally misplaced her most effective infant in a freak drowning accident. She too never sang again.

P.Kumar