Mumbai: The nightingale Lata Mangeshkar is profoundly shocked by the death of Bal Thackeray Saturday.
She said: "When Bala saheb was there, Maharashtra was there. When he`s not there, there`s nothing. No one can equal what he has done for Maharashtra. We needed him to be with us for many more years. Look at the kind of turn-out his illness invited at his home Matoshri. He had a knack for forging enduring relations with people. It`s indeed a very rare gift he had."
She adds: "When I heard he was unwell I went to meet him Nov 4. When he saw me he said that he had travelled all his life and that he did not like to be bed-ridden. I told him to eat something. He said he wasn`t hungry. I insisted. He agreed to have soup. He showered me with blessings."
Lata Mangeshkar was close to the entire Thackeray clan. "Raj and his wife, Udhavji and wife and their son Aditya are all close to me. Aditya writes good poetry in English. He has published a book of poems and also done a music album. Raj sings and also plays the violin. His father was a music director. Mohammad Rafi had sung a Marathi song for Raj`s father. That song was a big success."
Recalling her long association with the Shiv Sena Supremo, Lata Mangeshkar said: "He gave me a lot of love and respect.I knew him for a good 25 years and we were very close. I knew him from the time when he didn`t live at Matoshri."
"He knew I am apolitical. He never discussed politics with me. He could`ve asked me to join the Shiv Sena and I would have not have refused him. But he graciously kept me out of it. Perhaps being an artiste himself he understood the sensitivities of another artiste."
Lata Mangeshkar`s fondest meeting with Bala Saheb was the one year ago when asked her to check out the auditorium that the Shiv Sena had built in her father`s memory.
Recalling the incident, Lata Mangeshkar said: "Bala Saheb called and said eh had built an auditorium in my father`s name. The auditorium named Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar hall is in Khar. I had gifted Bala Saheb a painting done by my father, which is hanging in the front foyer of the auditorium. When I saw this, I was deeply moved."
"Bala Saheb had a long way to go. He had just published a new Marathi book which is selling exceedingly well. He had a very sharp mind and a terrific sense of humour. He could converse on any topic. During my most recent visit to Matoshri Bala Saheb asked me to visit him every day. I wasn`t able to fulfil his wish."
She added: "I was going to meet him as soon as the crowds in front of his house thinned out. Maharashtra had come to a standstill because everyone was worried. People all over Maharashtra were holding yagyas and prayer meetings for his recovery. I prayed for him to recover. My prayers are with his family."
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.