When melody queen Lata Mangeshkar, who passed away on Sunday, used to enter a studio for a recording, there was a ritual she’d follow. She’d take off her slippers, bow in a pranaam, seeking strength from the gods of music, and begin her piece.
Aayega aane wala (Mahal, 1949): This is the watershed year when Lata Mangeshkar, who sang this haunting Khemchand Prakash composition and took the nation’s breath away sealed her supremacy in the Indian film industry for decades to come, with no rival in sight. The song broke all records at Radio Ceylon as people flooded their office with letters to ask for the singer’s name.
Aye mere watan ke logon (1963): Composer C Ramchandra and Mangeshkar were not speaking to each other when Kavi Pradeep penned this piece in the aftermath of the India-China war. The song was first performed on January 27, 1963. The song, a melody in raga Asavari, a sombre morning raga — was straight and simple and yet extremely evocative with a different chord progression for every stanza.
Lag jaa gale (Woh Kaun Thi?, 1964): One of the finest pieces by Madan Mohan, the song is known as much for Mohan’s brilliance as it is for Mangeshkar. Her voice soars through those top notes and descends with equal ease.
Written by Sayoni Mahapatra Chatterji
Early Morning Memories 
One response to “Melody queen”
Nice information.
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