‘End of a golden era’: Tributes pour in
MUMBAI: Lata Mangeshkar, India’s national treasure whose voice stirred millions of hearts every day for close to eight decades, died in a Mumbai hospital on Sunday.
As a flower-bedecked cortege went from Mangeshkar’s Peddar Road home to Shivaji Park for the last rites, surging crowds of mourners walked along, many thousands lined the 10-kilometre route and millions tuned into their screens -- to say goodbye to the woman who was an integral part of their lives and to fuse into memory a moment in history.
The government announced a two-day “state mourning” for Mangeshkar, who had a prodigious almost eight-decade career in which she sang an estimated 25,000 songs in as many as 36 Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil and Kannada, and across classical and other genres.
The national flag will fly at half mast from February 6 to February 7 throughout India.
There will also be no official entertainment in this period.
As millions mourned her, tributes came pouring in with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading a heartbroken nation in remembering her. “Lata-ji’s demise is heart-breaking for me, as it is for millions the world over. In her vast range of songs, rendering the essence and beauty of India, generations found expression of their innermost emotions. A Bharat Ratna, Lata-ji’s accomplishments will remain incomparable,” the President said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said she remained the “most beloved voice of India for many decades” and added that her immortal voice will continue to echo in the hearts of her fans.
“She has left us… The voice of a million centuries has left us… her voice resounds now in the Heavens! Prayers for calm and peace...,” Amitabh Bachchan said in his personal blog.
“She has left us... The voice of a million centuries has left us .. her voice resounds now in the Heavens !” he wrote. “Prayers for calm and peace ..”
AMITABH BACHCHAN,
Bollywood actor
Somebody like Lata Ji isn’t just an icon, she’s a part of India’s music; this void will remain forever. I used to wake up to her picture & get inspired; was lucky to record & sing with her.
AR RAHMAN,
Musician
Two-day national mourning will be observed and the national flag will fly at halfmast as India pays tributes to legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, who died in a Mumbai hospital on Sunday, leaving behind a prodigious career in which she sang an estimated 25,000 songs in 36 Indian languages. She will be accorded a state funeral.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying their tributes to the “Nightingale of India”.
“The kind and caring Lata Didi has left us. She leaves a void in our nation that cannot be filled. The coming generations will remember her as a stalwart of Indian culture, whose melodious voice had an unparalleled ability to mesmerise people,” Modi tweeted.
Kovind tweeted, “Lata-ji’s demise is heartbreaking for me, as it is for millions the world over. In her vast range of songs, rendering the essence and beauty of India, generations found expression of their innermost emotions. A Bharat Ratna, Lata-ji’s accomplishments will remain incomparable.”
In her unmatched career during which she sang in more than 1,000 movies, Lata Mangeshkar became one of the most acclaimed playback singers of Bollywood. She received several film awards and honours such as the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Dada Saheb Phalke Award, and multiple National Film Awards.
Union home minister Amit Shah termed it an irreparable loss, saying: “Lata ji is not with us today. This is an irreparable loss for the whole country and especially for the field of music. Lata ji’s life was dedicated to music since childhood. She continued to contribute to the music till her last breath and for seven decades, with her contribution, she decorated and polished the Indian classical music and the music of the Indian films industry. Lata ji has won everyone’s heart with all types of songs.”
The Congress, too, paid rich tributes to the melody queen, with party president Sonia Gandhi saying that “an era has ended”.
“I am shocked that the melodious voice of singing nightingale Lata Ji has turned silent. An era has ended. Her heart touching voice, songs of patriotism and a life of struggle of Lata didi will always be an inspiration for generations.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said she remained the “most beloved voice of India for many decades” and added that her immortal golden voice will continue to echo in the hearts of her fans. “Received the sad news of Lata Mangeshkar Ji’s demise. She remained the most beloved voice of India for many decades,” he tweeted, adding, “Her golden voice is immortal and will continue to echo in the hearts of her fans.” Expressing “deepest sadness”, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the cultural icon’s voice left her “mesmerised”.
“I pay my heart-felt tribute to the departed icon of India, Bharatratna Lata Mangeshkar. While offering my sincerest condolences to her family and the billions of admirers that she leaves behind all over the world, I express my deepest sadness at the demise of the genius that the Nightingale of India truly was,” the chief minister tweeted.
Ninety-two-year-old Mangeshkar took her last breath in Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, had been in hospital since January 8 when she was diagnosed with Covid with mild symptoms. She was also diagnosed with pneumonia. Even after recovering from Covid, she was put on ventilator support after her condition worsened.
The Indore-born legend is survived by her siblings Meena, Asha, Usha and Hridaynath.
Her coffin was draped in the Tricolour and placed on the hearse draped in white flowers with a giant photograph of the singer known as “Nightingale of India”, “melody queen” or “Lata didi” to so many. Sounds of “Lata Mangeshkar Amar Rahe” could be heard through the route.