Lata Mangeshkarji turns 79 today 
By Subhash K. Jha, September 28, 2007 - 15:11 IST
It is her birthday. But we don't have to wait for special occasions to celebrate the unblemished excellence of Lata Mangeshkar.
She makes every day for millions of Asians across the world bearable, special. And to have known her so closely, to have seen her at home in
her simple unstarry environment bustling with the sound of family chores and the smell of food cooking in the kitchen , just makes me feel so
sorry for the average Page 3 celebrity from La-La-land whose kitchens are as sterile as their hearts.
Not so long ago when Mr Yash Chopra insisted on her voice in one of his recent films the leading lady whispered in a cheery chuckle how
she, the Divine Empress Of All Things Melodious, should call it a day.
Obviously, this leading lady like a lot of our present day 'stars'(ha ha) are clueless about what 'Lata Mangeshkar' means to Hindi cinema and to
us Indians who invariably open our eyes to her voice.
Lataji is no longer a singer. She ceased to be only that aeons ago. To us the Lata bhakts she's a source of spiritual upliftment. Her
presence and aura and her calm acceptance of 60 years as the voice that ruled the Hindi film industry makes her so unique.
And then there's that unspoilt untouched quality in her which makes her mythic aura endearingly rooted. I've seen how the man on the street
reacts to her presence. I've seen fans gazing at her glassy-eyed from a distance not daring to come forward to express their awe and disbelief.
I've seen the largest of superstars strike her name off their guest list because her presence just takes away from every other activity at any
venue. And I've seen how unaffected she can be when it comes to discussing her illimitable virtues as an artiste.
Once when we were discussing one of her songs she laughed and said, "Oh, that one is special only because Lata Mangeshkar sings it." We
both laughed. An assertion of her supreme status even as a joke is not just rare it's almost unimaginable. Not India, not Asia, not the universe.
Nowhere has there been a phenomenon like Lata Mangeshkar. And we don't need the Bharat Ratna to tell us that.
No entertainer can even hope to even brush against her heights of flawless triumph. As my friend Sanjay Leela Bhansali (hard to say who
among the two of us is a bigger fan of the Singing Supremo) keeps saying, "When she hits the highest note in ‘Ajee roothkar ab kahan
jayeejega’ or ‘Mere pee ko pawan kis gali le chali’ or any of her vast repertoire of songs in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s, she instantly
connects the listener to God."
I sincerely believe that in one note or syllable that the Divine Empress lets fall from her lips she encompasses more of the essence of the
cosmic infinite than all of what every other entertainer put together has done, or attempted to do in this country, or in any part of the world.
If life sucks, just put on the voice of Lata Mangeshkar . She's distinctively and dulcetly therapeutic. Here's my prescription for the blues.
Listen to Lataji's happier songs like ‘Bangle ke peeche’. It releases happy hormones in my body better than a bar of chocolate. If you are
unwell, listen to her spiritual songs like ‘Allah tero naam’, you'll immediately feel better. As she grows older her aura as the woman who
has defined beauty harmony and divinity in Hindi cinema for 50 years, just grows.
Are there any words left to describe the magic mystique and magnificent durability, of Lata Mangeshkar?
To have heard her, as I did for the first time at the age of 6, is to have touched the spirit of godliness. To have actually met her, sat with her and
discussed routine matters with her, is to realize that divinity isn't about touching the gods through prayers but by brushing against lives that
have made it possible for us to believe in God.
I know it's becoming progressively harder to find any aesthetic solace in contemporary times. As we plunge deeper into the morass of
mediocrity and depravity , the Godhra savagery merging with a seamless scream into the Noida butchery, we will need to turn more and more to
Lataji's voice to remember divinity's progressively –fugitive existence.
Generally the Bharat Ratna honours the artistry of the recipient. In Lataji's case her talent honours the Bharat Ratna and every other awards,
reward, doctorate and distinction that have been bestowed on her.
Forget being proud of the Taj Mahal . We've Lataji's voice. Her mastery of the seven notes beats all the seven wonders of the world….hollow.
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Javed Akhtar pays homage to Lataji on her birthday
