What do I say today? How do I even start? Do I have the words, the emotions, the attributes, the annotations, the prowess to even start taking about the voice that has made my life worth living? This day is more special to me than even my own birthday.. it gave me something that I can never repay back.. and I am happy to be indebted for life!

Lata Mangeshkar and Mehndi Hasan together! Something that happens once in a blue moon.. and we are fortunate that we are able to witness that blue moon.. MAGIC ALLOVER!

Yes, both the voices have aged.. (who knows if we would even be alive till their ages, forget working with such inexplicable enthusiasm) but is the charm lost? Naah.. not for me atleast! The way she sings 'Tujhe Chhu Loon To Phir Zinda Lage Hai..' for the second time, does it for me! Goosebump session starts...

Mayuresh Pai's amazing ghazal album, Farhat Shahzad's wonderful words (and Javed Akhtar at his best in the other songs).. this is SARHADEIN !!

Emono Dine Tare Bola Jai

emono dine Probably the last non-film album Hemantda composed and lent his voice for. (He sang only in one more film after this titled Rajnartaki (1991), 'Hari Bol Hari..' penned and composed by Bireswar Sarkar). But as they say, the flame flickers brightly before it goes off.. and rightly so, what serenity Hemantda has in his voice here! The sanctity of Rabindranathbabu's words (though I dont understand the language, but it touched deep inside for sure) is aptly depicted by Hemantda in his singing. WOW!

And certainly what an association it has been of Hemantda composing / singing Tagore songs.. started AFAIK in 1944 with 'Keno Patho E Chanchalota..' and 'Amar Aar Habe Na Deri..'.. all through the decades, this voice kept mesmerizing us.. and his tunes kept enthralling us! What a man!

P.S. I kindly request all my Bengali friends to correct me if I am wrong and certainly add their expertise over Hemantda's Rabindrasangeet.

जब दर्द के घने बादल घिर के आते है और तन्हाई आस-पास मंडराती है, तब कही से एक आवाज़ आती है जो दिल को ठंडक और सुकून दे जाती और कहती है की 'आज नहीं कोई अपना जिसे ग़म ये सुनाये..', जब ख़ुशी से ज़िंदगी सराबोर हो तब एक आवाज़ आती है और कहती है, 'आज फिर जीने की तमन्ना है..', जब प्यार करने को मन ललचाये तब एक आवाज़ फिर से कह उठती है, 'प्यार को हो जाने दो, प्यार में खो जाने दो..'

और पता नहीं ज़िंदगी के ना जाने ऐसे कितने जज़्बात है जिनके साथ एक आवाज़ का साथ हमेशा रहा है.. पता नहीं ज़िंदगी में क्या रह जाता गर ये एक आवाज़ हमारा हाथ थामे हमें चलना नहीं सिखाती.. कुछ भी हो हालत, कुछ भी हो जज़्बात, एक आवाज़ की जादू, एक आवाज़ का नशा हमेशा वही रहेगा.. और ये आवाज़ उस शक्सियत, उस एक हस्ती की है जिसने हमें ज़िंदगी के मायने सिखा दिए... लता मंगेशकर!!

८२ साल की आवाज़ में आज भी उतनी ताक़त है की हमारी रूह काँप उठे, साथ में वो अपनापन भी है की उसी रूह को हौले से छुले.. हर लम्हा जिस आवाज़ के साथ बिताया है, उस आवाज़ को आज जन्मदिन पर ढेर सारी शुभकामनाएँ.. अपनी माँ के बात अगर किसी आवाज़ ने मुझे सहलाया है तो

वो लतादी की है...

A voice that transcends places, distances and time.. a voice that elevates a human soul to stratosperic levels, making every living moment sublime! To that voice, to that phenomenon, to that magnum opus.. to Lata Mangeshkar... HATS OFF! Thank you Latadi for just about everything...

Lata and Asha both have a strong classical base.. and it is also said that had they not entered film music or had Master Dinnanath lived longer, they would have certainly become classical singers.
And why not? The range they show even in their classical songs is tremendous !So talking of classical songs, the mere thought of having both of them singing in tandem in a pure classical format is something that even God's up there in heaven will wait and listen to and this is exactly what happens in this song.
Its more of a duet (though technically a triet) as Mannada (as the Tansen) just starts the song and Lata-Asha (as Tana-Riri) take the song forward and sing the bulk of the song (rather nearly the entire song). But what is exasperating is the fact that both of them are in full form... with singing reaching the highest pinnacle of musical brilliance.
The taan's at the end are unbelievable.. you have to necessarily pinch yourself to believe what you hear.. Asha starts, Lata takes over, Asha proceeds, Lata picks it up and goes to the taar saptak, the tempo increases, Asha continues to swirl in the taar saptak and then just as the clouds burst, both of them literally burst in the 'aati-taar' saptak showering us with rain of magical genius... mesmerizing music.. nerve-numbing dexterity.
This Megh Malhar from Sangeet Samrat Tansen (1962) composed by S.N.Tripathi is the ultimate edifice of startling, staggering, scintillating rendition. Hats off to these two musical magnum opuses!