Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar, one of the greatest and influential singers in India, breathed her last at Mumbai's Breach Candy hospital at the age of 92 on Sunday.
The singer, who was known as the 'Nightingale of India' and 'Queen of Melody', passed away after battling Covid-19 along with Pneumonia. Celebrities, politicians, personalities, and netizens from across the country have offered their condolences and respect for the veteran singer.
For educators in the country who teach music to students, Lata Mangeshkar's demise is equivalent to losing their own guru. Free Press Journal spoke to various music teachers from across the nation, who expressed their love and admiration for Lata Mangeshkar.
"Lataji's songs provided valuable lessons because they were so detailed and nuanced that to sing it to perfection you needed a unique skillet," said Dr Shruti Jauhari, who has authored books such as Elements of Hindustani Classical Music, and met Lata Mangeshkar 25 years ago, a memory she still cherishes. "I met Lataji when she came to record 'O Paalan haare', a song from the film Lagaan, in Chennai. She was there with Javed Akhtar Sahab and I met her late at night around 1 AM. While she wanted me to sit beside her, I sat on her feet and sought her blessings. We talked for a while about our birthplaces in Madhya Pradesh since she was born in Indore. I was in awe of her respectable nature despite having such a huge stature," remembered Dr Jauhari, who has taught at the University of Madras, Ar Rahman's KMMC in the Hindustani Classical Music department and also conducts private tuitions for students post her retirement. "I think her legacy will remain unmatched just because of the sheer natural talent she possessed. To be simplistic, self-restrained, self-disciplined in an industry known for the fame, glamour, and limelight, and that too for 70-80 years is a magnificent feat in itself," Dr Jauhari added.
Though Savita Moghe has attended veteran singer Asha Bhosle's concert, she feels it's unfortunate that her dream of attending a concert by Lata Mangeshkar will not be fulfilled. "It is a great loss to the nation that a singer who probably has the best vocal range in history. The tremendous strength and sweetness of her voice is something that can't be replicated by singers who will practice day and night everyday of their remaining lives," said Savita Moghe, a postgraduate in classical music and a classical singer who found the Somaiya Music School, which later came to be known as Maya Somaiya School of Music and Performing Arts. She is an advisor for the institute as well. "While her musical note started from Ni in Saregama, others end their note there, and as a musician that is difficult to achieve. Her struggle also made her special considering she started singing at the tender age of 10, lost her father who was himself a classical singer and theatre actor, rode bicycles with rods to reach studios, and didn't have much money for expenses, all these factors made her more lovable to the Indian audience. P.L.Deshpande once said three things have captured this world, one being Sun, the second being Moon and the other third being Lataji's voice and I couldn't agree more," added Savita Moghe who said her favourite song by Lata Mangeshkar is Rahe Na Rahe Hum.
"Lata Mangeshkar was the kind of genius that only comes once in several generations. That unmistakable voice together with the superhuman longevity and versatility. She sang in more than 30 Indian languages, although we know her primarily as the Queen of Bollywood playback singing. She truly was the nightingale, a Bharat Ratna, and by far the brightest star in our musical universe," Anupam Roy, a faculty in Music (Strings) and a Programme Leader in Foundation Course at
KM Music Conservatory, Chennai told Free Press Journal. Roy said that Dil Hoom Hoom Kare from the movie Rudaali is his favourite Lata Mangeshkar song to date.
"Lata Mangeshkar was rightly recognised to be the Nightingale of India through her voice, emotions, and feelings in her songs. There is a range of emotions that have been depicted through her songs in the form of patriotic numbers such as Ae mere Watan ke Logon Ko, romantic ones such as Lag Ja Gale, loads of other melodies in different languages, etc. She has left a legacy of almost 7 decades, which is a record in itself. She is rightly considered to be Maa Saraswati," said Ashwin Subramanian, a Music teacher from Podar ORT International School in Worli.
