New Delhi: Lata Mangeshkar, popularly known as the 'Queen of Melody', is known for breathing life into the songs that she sang. Such was the aura of her melodious voice that it stirred emotions in people and struck the chords in their hearts.
The legendary singer left for her heavenly abode on February 6, after she succumbed to multiple-organ failure at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. She was undergoing treatment for Covid and pneumonia for over 28 days and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
Lata Mangeshkar, who sang over 30,000 songs in 13 different languages, in a career spanning over seven decades, began her career at the age of 13. She sang a bhajan Maata Tere Charnon Mein' in the 1945 film, 'Badi Maa'. Lata, who has a number of devotional songs to her credit, used to sing them with utmost dedication.
In an interview that she gave to a Pakistani channel 3 years ago, Lata showed the journalist the 'Mandir' (temple) inside her house, where she used to pray alone, everyday. On being asked if she was religiously devout, the singer laughed and said, "Yes". To this, the journalist replied that this was the reason why her bhajans were so soulful.
In the video, shared on the channel's official YouTube page, one can see the portraits of Lata's parents, as she gives the journalist a tour of the mandir. She also shows the portrait of 'Mangesh', the man after whom the Mangeshkar family is named.
During the interview, the legendary singer also discussed various topics, including her early days in the industry, and how she was dismissed initially for having a very thin voice. She also shared an anecdote, where she revealed how legendary actor Dilip Kumar, whose original name was Yusuf Khan, asked her to learn Urdu language.
See the video here: