My earliest musical influences were through my father who listened to 40s film music or Indian classical music; else it was Panjabi songs. Songs also played on radio, largely during the day, when mother did her chores or when we returned from school. Soon I started liking film songs from later decades too. I was however not able to identify or distinguish between singing voices those days. Gradually I started recognizing male voices, but still not the female ones. I therefore had no preferred singer at that time. It all changed when I was around 10-11 years old, and we moved to a different locality. There was a neighborhood girl, my elder sisters' friend who'd visit our house often. She will be in other room or kitchen, with my sisters- sometimes gossiping, sometimes cooking together. Once rest of us were sitting in other room, and we heard a faint voice from kitchen, singing melodiously ' Mera dil ye pukare aaja'. To my ears the song sounded very pleasing, nothing was incongruous, it appeared if the song was playing on radio. That aroused my interest in the famous original and later I got around to listen to that song again on radio. This time I realized what lovely song that was. Plaintive, pathos-laden with a singing voice that carried those emotions perfectly. I learned that the singer was Lata Mangeshkar. That was my first direct interaction with a Lata song. (Watch Mera dil yeh pukaare on YouTube).

That neighbor girl subsequently got popular in our residence, and at the request of my parents and my sisters, would often sing her favorite Lata songs. Once she sang ‘Aaja re Pardesi’ from Madhumati with such aplomb that I started fancying the original. It was a wistful tune that lingered in my ears for long. Lata's expressive voice, with some touching lyrics, that I learned later, were by Shailendra, was turned into a timeless melody by the Music Director Salil Chowdhury. (Watch Aaja re pardesi on YouTube).

Anyway returning to my narrative, by that time I became a full time Latabai fan. I had learned to discern between Lata and Asha, a difficulty I faced initially, and also started identifying other singers too. I started writing lyrics of her songs from radio, talk about her songs with a musically inclined friend, and as years/decades went by, started building my own collection of her songs.

It’s a fanship that has continued all through the life, till this day. Over the years I started admiring other singers too, but Lata Mangeshkar occupied a special place in my heart, mind, and in my being.

I would particularly like to highlight 5 glorious songs of hers. A mere drop from the ocean of exceptional songs she has sung in her career. These are all solos and spanning across the decades.

First one is 'Kuchh dil ne kaha' from Anupama. No other singer could have done justice to this Hemant Kumar composition, the way Lata has. It is a song as delicate, as light, as tenuous, as a gossamer thread. Any less than perfect singer would have ruined it. Latabai just floats effortlessly from note to note as a butterfly fleets from one flower to another. A total delight to senses.
(Watch Kuchh Dil ne kaha on YouTube)

Second in this series is ‘Har aas ashqbaar hai’ that Lata sang for Jaidev, early in his career. This Kinare Kinare gem is a very bleak sounding song in many ways. The very despondent lyrics were written by Nyay Sharma, which were set to an equally sorrowful tune by Jaidev.  Lata Mangeshkar's style was such that she would usually not go overboard with emotions unless the demand specifically was such. With her controlled singing she managed to catch the mood of this song to perfection. It is an atmospheric song that envelopes you in its sadness. Not many singers would have the ability to convey so much of pain, vulnerability, and tenderness, in such understated way. (Watch Har aas ashqbaar hai on YouTube).

Third song- Haaye jiya roye from Milan, in contrast, is a passionate expression of grief. A lament that pierces through the heart like a rapier. The song starts on a low key and then soon reaches a crescendo, as if the floodgates of pent-up emotions have opened suddenly. Hansraj Behl's composition for Prem Dhawan’s lyrics would not have been half as effective if it were not for Lata. She traverses the highs and lows of this classical melody effortlessly. (Watch Haaye jiyaa roye on YouTube).

Fourth song in this list is a bewitching O nirdayi preetam from Stree. Composed by Anna Saab (C. Ramchandra) and written in chaste hindi by Pt. Bharat Vyas, it is a beauty of a song that stays in one's ears long after it’s over. It a complex melody where both antra-s tuned differently and a beautiful aalaap integrated in the middle. Latabai negotiates the entire song, in all its glory, with utmost ease, leaving the listeners breathless in awe. (Watch O nirdayi preetam on YouTube).

Last song in this tiny little list is from Dil hoom hoom kare from Rudaali, a 1993 film.  Lata Mangeshkar had already started being very choosy with her assignments. Bhupen Hazarika came with stunning film album that year and Lata Mangeshkar got a choice of songs in that. It's a passionate expression of grief, a suppressed wail and Latabai brings forth those emotions so superbly. Metaphorically it's a very fragile dainty ditty, riding low and high on emotions. I can't imagine any other singer doing justice to this as much as Lata has done.

When she passed away recently my son asked me how I was so affected by her going. I told him it was not just another artist who passed away; the loss here was much more personal, it was like a corner of my heart had become permanently vacant. Anyway, such is life; she lived it full, and gave us countless songs to fall back upon. Not that it will help us fill her loss in any significant way.

Adios Latabai!