Lataji Amitabh Ko Hindi Bhaasha Ka Shahenshah Maanti Thhi... BY ALI PETER JOHN

It has just been 3 months since the nightingale of India has left never to return again, but already a trillion of words have been written and spoken about her and will continue to be said about her - Ali Peter John Ji

I've heard hundreds of people talk about her which include people like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Mohammad Rafi and politicians like S. K. Patil, V. P. Naik and Bal Thackeray, and even holy men of different religions, castes and creed, but if there is one man who has spoken about Lata Mangeshkar in the most eloquent manner, it is undoubtedly, Amitabh Bachchan.

He must've spoken about Lataji on countless occasions, but he has always been better than he has been in his previous attempts to speak about her.

Her brother, Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar with his friend Avinash Prabhakar had instituted the 'Hridayesh Award' for the outstanding singer of the year and the first 'Hridayesh Award' was to be given to Lata Mangeshkar.

The organisers wanted a good speaker to talk about Lata and her spectacular achievements. After a great deal of discussion, it was decided that, Amitabh Bachchan who Lata had a great liking for would speak about her at the awards function.

It was my duty to tell Amitabh about what was expected of him at the function and he readily agreed.

The 'Shanmukhananda Hall' where Lata had performed any number of shows was packed to capacity and Amitabh arrived at 6:30pm sharp as he was asked to. The function began with a performance of vocal classical music.

Lataji was not very well, but when she was told that Amitabh had already arrived, she rushed to the hall and was received with a thunderous applause. Her family was there with her on the stage on this very momentous occasion in her life.

It was around 7:00pm when Amitabh was called to speak about Lataji and what happened during the next 40 minutes was a sheer miracle of words and emotions expressed by a master of oratory and emotions expressed like very few human beings can.

The entire speech was made in shudh Hindi and the entire audience listened in rapt attention and surprised silence. They had heard Amitabh speak on many occasions earlier, but they had never heard him speak with so much passion, dedication and devotion. It looked as if he was a man possessed. And at the end of his speech Lataji had tears in her eyes.

It was her turn to speak and she was too moved to even utter a word and when she finally spoke, she only said, "Iss Hindi bhasha k shehanshah k baarein mein main kya bol sakti hun?

Maine bahot saare Hindi bolne waalon ko suna hai lekin aaj maine jo Hindi Amitabh se suna hai woh maine kabhi pehle suna nahi aur hosakta hai ki main iske baad bhi sunungi nahi. Main Amitabh ko sar jhukhaakar namaskar karti hun. Aur iske main, maaf karna, kuch bol nahi sakungi."

The following year Amitabh was to receive the same award and Lataji was to present the award to him.

She had specially made a request to the organisers to see that she would present the award to Amitabh, but she fell sick at the last minute and I had to ask Subhash Ghai who was not even invited to come from Film City to the hall and present the award to Amitabh with whom he was not even on talking terms.

He forgot all his bitterness and so did Amitabh and the award function ended on a very bright note. Lataji was never the same again, she kept falling sick again and again and finally bid farewell to this world to which she had given her entire life.

Lataji jaisi mahaan aatma ko kabhi bhasha ka fark nahi mehsus hua, woh sirf dil aur aatma ki baatein mehsus karti thi aur unme gyaan thoonkti thi. Isliye toh woh Lata thi.