Lata Mangeshkar: Kal, Aaj Aur Kal!

Decades in the life of our country and our state, Maharashtra, may come and go but Lata Mangeshkar goes on forever! More than most others in public life, the celebrated singer has seen the momentous public events of the last five decades first hand; in fact, she has been an active participant in many of them, especially in those that have taken place in Maharashtra. She was present at Shivaji Park in Bombay to herald the creation of Maharashtra on May 1 in 1960. She rendered patriotic songs in the august presence of Jawaharlal Nehru, among other luminaries. Twenty-five years later, she sang nationalistic songs at the same venue to celebrate the state’s silver jubilee.

And now, today (May 1, 2010), fifty years after the formation of Maharashtra, Latabai will again be the headliner for the celebrations that will be held to bring in the state’s golden jubilee at the same venue – Shivaji Park. Hopefully, Lata, like the river Ganga, will flow on forever.