Sandalwood mourns as Nightingale falls silent

Nischith N.| NT

Bengaluru: Lata Mangeshkar, the ‘Queen of Melody’, passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. Often referred to as the Nightingale of India, she was laid to rest at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park with full state honours on Sunday. Lata was regarded as India’s greatest playback singer, who started her career at the age of 13 in 1942, and went on to sing over 30,000 songs in various Indian languages.

After the news broke out, tributes poured in for the legendary singer from Sandalwood celebrities as she had links with the Kannada film industry, in her career span of eight decades. Lata Mangeshkar sang two film songs in Kannada for the film Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna released in 1967. The songs include “Bellana Belagayitu”and “Ellare Iratheero, Endara Bartheero”, which is in a folk song format.

Her sisters, Usha Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle also sang a song each for the film. The three sisters sang for free when they came to know that the film was about a freedom fighter. Bellane Belagayitu” was written by Bhujendra Mahishawadi an

d “Ellare Iratheero” was by Pundalika B. Dhuttaragi which was composed by Lakshman Beralekar. Remembering her childhood days Archana Udupa, a popular singer of devotional, classical and film songs says she got her blessings from Lata Mangeshkar.

“I started my singing career when I was three years old and I remember that my father used to make us listen to Lata ji’s songs every morning before he goes to work. So that practice has remained the same even today. I listen to at least five songs by Lata Mangeshkar every day. I think there is no better way to remember her than listening to her songs. She is like a university and we all keep learning till our last days. I got a chance to meet Asha Bhosle, but didn’t get a chance to meet Lata personally.”

Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna film featured Virupakshayya S. Patil, a theatre actor and Kamini Kadam, a singer-actor. Hindi actor Abhi Bhattacharya is also seen as British officer Thackeray. Most of the cast and crew, including the heroine Kamini Kadam, was from the Marathi theatre and Marathi film industry in Mumbai, though some of them had roots in Karnataka. It is said that Mangeshkar and her sister sang the songs for free as the film suffered delays due to fi- nancial difficulties.

“We are eternally grateful to Mangeshkar Ji who made us choose singing as a career. Now that the legendary singer is no more, we thought of remembering her by listening to some of her top evergreen songs that will always be etched in our memories. Today she has just left us physically but her work and her voice will remain forever,” says Nanditha, singer and composer.

Daughter of Pandit Deenanath, Lata’s father was a well-known Marathi musician and theatre artiste. It was said that she was first tutored by her father and later appeared as a child artiste in several of his plays. Lata Mangeshkar had been given the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan as well as Dada Saheb Phalke Award.

“It was Bharat Ratna Latha Mangeshkar, who made me a singer. I grew up listening to her songs in Akashavani and learnt the basics of singing. We are like Ekalavya, following her songs and her life, which gave us a lot of inspiration to become good singers,” says Dr Samitha Mallanad, popular singer.

No illumination at Mysuru Palace

Shilpa P. | NT

As a mark of respect for Latha Mangeshkar, who passed away on Sunday, Mysuru Palace authorities have cancelled illumination of Mysuru Palace on Sunday evening between 7pm and 8pm. And they have also cancelled sound and light programme at Palace premises on Monday from 7pm to 8pm. But Mysuru Palace will remain open for visitors as usual from 10am to 5.30pm, the Palace board authorities said.

“I started my singing career when I was three years old and I remember that my father used to make us listen to Lata ji’s songs every morning before he goes to work. So that practice has remained the same even today. I listen to at least 5 songs by Lata Mangeshkar every day. I think there is no better way to remember her than listening to her songs. She is like a university and we all keep learning till our last days. I got a chance to meet Asha Bhosle, but didn’t get a chance to meet Lata ji personally, but I got her blessings for the song I sang for the album composed by Shankar Mahadevan. She called him and praised my singing which I cherish even today”. — Archana Udupa, a popular singer

We are eternally grateful to Mangeshkar Ji who made us choose singing as a career. Now that the legendary singer is no more, we thought of remembering her by listening t