Lata Mangeshkar passed away today on Sunday, February 6, 2022 leaving her millions of fans heartbroken. The Bharat Ratna and legendary singer’s demise is being mourned by everyone but her family is totally distraught. Lata ji was the eldest of her four siblings- Asha Bhosle, Meena Khadikar, Usha Mangeshkar and Hridaynath Mangeshkar. However, while her songs always stole the limelight, her chequered past with sister Asha Bhosle also grabbed a lot of attention. But the sibling rivalry of their youth turned into sibling revelry in their prime.

Lata Mangeshkar’s and Asha Bhosle’s bond was such that on her first day of school, the singer left the premises to never return because they did not allow her to bring her sister along with her. Both the sisters began singing to support their family. However, things soured between the two when Asha Bhosle got married to 31-year-old Ganpatrao Bhosle when she was 16 years old.  Lata ji did not encourage music directors working with Asha Bhosle and stopped working with OP Nayyar as he worked with her sister. However, they later mended fences and became a staunch supporter of each other with Asha Bhosle saying that Lata ji was her favourite singer.

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In an old interview to PTI, Asha Bhosle had said, “I did get married at a very young age to a man who was 20 years older than I was. It was a love marriage and Lata didi did not speak to me for a long time. She disapproved of the alliance. The family was very conservative and they could not handle a singing star for a daughter-in-law. There was abuse and ill-treatment and I finally was asked to leave when I was expecting my youngest son Anand, and I did go back to my mother, sisters, and brother. I do not blame anyone and have no ill will. I feel if I had not met Mr Bhosle, I would not have had these three amazing children and life turned out okay."

In another interview with a leading daily, Asha Bhosle once opened up about the ‘sibling rivalry’ with Lata Mangeshkar and said, “She’s my sister and my favourite singer. People did carry tales and try to create trouble, but blood is thicker than water. I remember, sometimes both of us would be at a function and some industry types would ignore me and interact only with her, as if to prove their loyalty. Later, didi and I would have a good laugh.”

Talking about her second husband RD Burman and how he managed to get both sisters to sing for his compositions, Asha Bhosle had told Mumbai Mirror, “He'd give didi (Lata Mangeshkar) all the sweet, romantic songs and every time he'd want to experiment with the form he'd call me to sing. Be it Duniya Mein or Piya Tu (Caravan), Oh Meri Jaan Main Ne kaha (The Train) or Aaja Aaja, O Mere Sona (Teesri Manzil), he'd call me.”

Before Lata Mangeshkar’s death, Asha Bhosle had held a special puja for the legendary singer at her home and told aleading daily, “Unke ghar par (Prabhukunj, Peddar Road) Shiv Bhagawan ke rudras bithaye hain aur puja-paath kar rahe hain for her recovery (Lord Shiva Rudras has been placed at her house and pujas are being organised for her recovery".

Lata Mangeshkar was given the honorific title of the Nightingale of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and today with her passing the music has truly died.

(Source: PTI/Mumbai Mirror/ETimes)