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Federally recognized tribes have all sorts of websites. Some use -.gov and some don’t. They can do whatever they like. The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma uses - .org. There are three federally recognized Cherokee tribes, Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band and United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma is by far the largest at about 300,00 enrolled members.The Blackfeet uses -.com Blackfeet Nation |The Ho-Chunk Tribe of Wisconsin does too. Hocak | Ho-Chunk NationThe Ak-Chin Indian Community of the Maricopa (Ak Chin) Indian Reservation in AZ uses -.us Welcome | Ak-Chin Indian CommunityThis interactive map has all the contact information for every tribe. Tribal Leaders Directory Map

I love looking at the many questions and answers that post on Quora, and occasionally I see one that screams at me to be answered. Should I join the Army or Marines? This question has burned through the minds of millions of American youths for many generations.(Marine Corps and Army Airborne - Best Infantry in the world)For as long as I could remember, I knew that I wanted to be a soldier. Initially, I thought that I wanted to be a Marine, and I think that initial thought was born from my desire to be part of something that had discipline and the strictest standards physically and mentally. And they definitely had the best looking dress uniforms.These are things I thought about as I mopped the floor of the neighborhood Party Store on a late Friday night, as I washed dishes in a family restaurant on a Saturday morning, packing bags of groceries after school in the evening, and digging post holes on a ranch during summer break. I still wasn't old enough yet to join on my own, but I sure thought a lot about it - I had a lot of time to think about what kind of soldier that I wanted to be. My father was a corpsman in the Navy, and I grew up listening to his stories of service, each one affected me like watching an action movie. Uncles on both sides fought in Vietnam. The immense feeling of pride that swelled in me when my Uncle’s came home from Vietnam, the screams of joy from family and friends as they ran to hug them as they came off the plane; and my grandfather, Archie O’Connor was a highly decorated Army Infantry sergeant fighting in WWII, was wounded in a firefight, captured, and almost starved to death as a P.O.W. in a hellish Nazi camp.(Standing where my Grandfather bravely stood - Bergen Belsen POW / concentration camp, FRG)I think what did it for me was that Marines spend considerable time cramped inside ships and boats in the water, and I grew up in the midwest roaming the woods and open air from Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, and Michigan; hunting and fishing and that's where I felt most comfortable. Up until I joined the military, I had never seen the ocean, and the only beach I had been on was Lake Michigan. So I looked for an Army Infantry unit out of boot camp that would station me out of the country. I visited several Recruiters Offices and asked a lot of questions. I told them that I wanted outside of the US and that I wanted to be Infantry. It was the height of the Cold War, and the Soviet Union was our most significant threat at the time. I had on my contract that once I completed basic training and advanced Infantry training, I would go to West Germany (FRG) which was the tip of the spear on the border of East Germany and the Soviet Union's tanks.(Army Infantry doing what they do best)Anyone contemplating military service there is something fundamental to understand - the military is always changing. There will still be a lot of talk about who’s the best, which branch of service is the toughest, or smartest, and a lot of people yapping, do your research. When I joined the Army, I could choose between a $10,000 cash bonus (back in the day that bought a new car), or, College Fund money paid each month for full-time enrollment after service (I chose the latter, and glad I did). You can look on the internet at each branch of service websites and especially what positions are available. Another thing important to understand - Recruiters will try to steer you into jobs that the military needs, not what you need. Recruiters have quotas they have to make, very similar to a sales executive for a company; they will make pumping gas into tanks and trucks sound incredibly sexy and desirable - “Son, Tactical Petroleum Technician’s are the lifeblood of Two MarDiv, no one moves without us! In the battle of Fooledya, Iraq, we pumped more JP4 than………” Don’t get me wrong, every MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) is important, and Recruiters are seasoned professionals with many years of experience; however, you must tell the Recruiter to put what you want in writing on your contract that you sign because if it's not on the contract, otherwise you could end up with your end up. I qualify from my own experience - After several meetings with Recruiters, and asking several guys that had joined the National Guard, I thought I had it all figured out. I went to the Recruiter’s office to join the Army on the ‘Delayed Entry Program’ (3 months from signing date) and made sure that on the contract it stated ’Three Year Enlistment’ ‘Infantry MOS’ ‘Europe Duty Station’ and ‘College Fund’. When I saw the contract with stated items, I gleefully signed, raised my right hand, and swore the oath. I went to the barber shop and told the barber “High and Tight” and forever lost my heavy metal hair, I did PT every day, hopping over to the University of Michigan track field and ran 20 laps a day, after each lap, I did 20 push-ups then 20 sit-ups. My neighbor helped me fasten a pull-up bar in the back of the house my Mom rented. I stopped partying on weekends. Many of my ‘friends’ didn’t believe me initially and thought I was crazy. The three months ‘Delayed Entry’ went by fast, and then it was ‘B-Day’ (Boot camp Day) Sure enough, I went to Ft. Benning GA. ‘Home of the Infantry’ for eight weeks Basic Training and four weeks A.I.T. (Advanced Infantry Training) A few guys that joined as Army Reserves or National Guard left after Basic Training. The rest of us got a 24 hour Pass. We marched in our dress uniforms, stood at parade rest while the Drill Instructors gave us a HooAhh speech, and the Do’s and Dont’s before we start A.I.T. There were a few men that had wives or their families showed up and took their proud young man out for steak dinner. The rest of us maniacs (young, dumb, and full of cum) moved out smartly, ate a belly full at an ‘All You Can Eat’ restaurant and patrolled the infamous ‘Victory Drive’ (VD Drive) in squad-sized elements spending a big chunk of two months basic army pay in every dive bar with dancing girls. (No further details about that)(Marine Corps Drill Instructors are harder than woodpecker lips!)Upon completion of AIT, we gathered ‘round one last time with the Drill Sergeants and were handed our duty assignments on paper. I found out that my Infantry MOS was 11X (X-Ray) I didn’t realize that Infantry (11 series MOS) had so many different options and that ‘X’ meant I was to fill whatever Infantry position that the Army needed at that time. I was so Gung-Ho and motivated when I completed Basic and AIT that I wanted to go to Airborne School like several of my new buddies assigned to Airborne and Ranger units, and I even tried to get my orders changed. However, since I had ‘Europe Duty Station’ in my contract I was assigned to A Co. 1/15th Infantry 3rd Infantry Division stationed in Kitzengen, FRG (W. Germany) upon completion of 3-week Mechanized Infantry Course, also at Ft. Benning, GA. to learn how to operate the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (BIFV). Every chance I had, I travelled around Europe, and marveled at the amazing transportation system that was the Eurail. If I had a long weekend after breaking brush for a month, it was spent traveling W. Europe. This was something that no college or university can teach, and I learned about ‘the world’. Believe it or not, when I served, being a young American overseas was akin to playing on a pro sports team, or a popular rock band. Pretty much every country I went to, the energy and vibe was unfathomable. It was an amazing time to be an American.(The only ‘ill-discipline’ of this Army unit is the soldier that got shot on patrol in Afghanistan)I don't know where you got “I don't like how ill-disciplined the army is, but I like the quicker promotions” you sound like you are repeating what you heard from someone else, and you need to get your head out of your forth point of contact (there are five points of contact in a parachute landing fall, figure out which one is fourth). Maybe the Army is starting to become slack in some areas since I was in, I don't know. I can tell you that there was a notable difference in the level of discipline and moral between Mechanized (‘straight - leg’) Infantry and Airborne Infantry when I served. I was super motivated and loved soldiering when I was in; I went to the gym after the last formation even though we did PT every morning so that I could be stronger and I volunteered for any schools and training that was available. I made E-5 sergeant in less than two years which is pretty fast, and I reenlisted for 4-years and requested assignment to a Ranger Regiment, but they would not take an E-5 Mechanized Infantry, so I went to the 82nd Airborne Division and I'm very grateful, proud, and honored to have served with such a great unit. However, there was an abundance of 11B staff sergeants E-6, and it was virtually impossible to get promoted, so I spent the next four years without being promoted, even though I served as a squad leader, an E-6 position. Even after I was awarded the coveted Ranger tab after graduating from class 1–92, I still was capped at E-5 and would've had to re-enlist for another 4-year enlistment to get promoted. After combat and my 2nd enlistment were up, my Dad convinced me to give College a try. So I served in the National Guard for a couple years while attending college.Wanting to be a Paratrooper or Force Recon because those are the best Infantry of each branch of service, be advised that you must be extremely physically and mentally fit, and the conditioning that comes with it. You need to wake every morning at 5 a.m. run 4 miles and do a 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups. You can do four sets of 25 or 10 sets of 10, and if you are bad-ass you could do two sets of 50; then you need to do 20 Pull-Ups, even if you can only do one at a time, and you should spend your free time studying soldiering. If you have long hair go to the barber and tell him to put the clippers on zero, and cut it all off (only Delta Force, SEALs, CIA and metal bands get to wear long hair). When you hear that Susie so and so is having a big party at her house - forget about it! If your buddies are doing bong hits after class - forget about it! If they want you to drink 40 ’s with them after school - forget about it! Some people might hate you, and other’s might say you're crazy and your girlfriend might stop sending pictures, and you know what - forget about it! They are not your friends. Believe me, if you are worried that you are going to miss out on something you’re not. There will be adventures incomprehensible to your current life, and if you have the courage and fortitude to make it, you will be a man among men. Your new friends are going to be the soldiers you serve with, the soldiers on your left and right in a foxhole. The soldiers that pull security with you on Christmas Eve in some god-forsaken place, your new friends will be the ones who jump out of airplanes with you in Airborne School, in training, and in combat. The ones you run PT with at ’Oh Five Hundred’ in the rain, and low crawl on the beach getting pounded by heavy surf. Your new friends will be the soldiers that keep our country and all its citizens safe - that fight, bleed, and sweat to serve and protect our nation and our way of life.Freedom isn’t free, it takes people serving our country, whether it be in the military, volunteering as a ‘Big Brother /Sister, or at your local VA hospital, or serving meals to the homeless. Good Luck with your decision and God Bless you.

Yes she is majorly, hugely and grossly overrated.I have following points to offer/myths to destroy:No Goddess of Music/Ma Saraswati -We Indians should stop making Gods and Goddesses out of human beings. God is God. To refer to a human being a Reincarnation of Ma Saraswati is blasphemous and sacrilegious.No Meerabai/Sanyasin either- Real saints don't put on diamond jewellery, don't ride in Mercs and don't have a fierce temper either. And most of those belonging to Hinduism (especially Vaishnavites) and almost all belonging to Jainism are vegetarians. This lady for your kind information is a voracious meat-eater, as was shockingly discovered by Dilip Kumar (who once dismissed her Urdu pronunciation as a daal-bhaat ki boo)in 1970. Her favourite food is Kolhapuri mutton and fried fish with tarter sauce. She herself, in a recent interview, while referring to fact that she used to go to casinos in Las Vegas said that she is not a saint. Please see link ahead:https://www.mid-day.com/articles/lata-mangeshkar-the-didi-from-india-who-conquered-america-book/18027162Oh but she is a spinster/married only to music- Have your forgotten Priyamvada Patel’s account (in 2012) of her illicit relation with her estranged husband late Bhupen Hazarika. I was very fond of Hazarika: Lata Mangeshkarhttps://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/lata-mangeshkar-had-an-affair-with-bhupen-says-hazarika-s-estranged-wife/story-Ed5RIJnfYNiKio7Hh4Sw3I.htmlLata had crush and affair with Bhupen' | The Siasat DailyLata Mangeshkar had an affair with Bhupen: Hazarika’s estranged wifeBhupen Hazarika's Estranged Wife Reveals His Affair with Lata MangeshkarOr, late Raj Singh Dungurpur’s own account of their togetherness, especially that they were in London just out of her flat when the news of her being selected for Bharat Ratna was informed to her and the next morning he made tea for this holy lady. Let’s have the link :Revisited: Dungarpur on special friend LataThere are more such alleged relationships. One with Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar (which Late Suraiya and Shamshad Begum would always hush hush about with the journalists closer to them), Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal (which his own fashion designer wife Pallavi Mariwala Jaikishan would confirm), Husnlal (of Husnlal-Bhagatram duo) and Salil Chowdhury. Maybe some of these accounts are wrong, but not all. After all, why has nobody raised a finger about late Mohammed Rafi’s character till date. On being asked about her love life she insisted in an interview with Afsana Ahmed of Hindustan Times Kuch baaatein sirf apne liye hi hoti hain. Inhe humare dil mein hi rehne dijiye (There are some things only for the heart to know. Let me keep it that way). Please see the link below: https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/name-and-fame-demand-huge-sacrifices-lata-mangeshkar/story-k7I5ihzjiZysDVmoiccTrM.htmlBut she is a perfectionist: Lataji is not a perfectionist. If she was she would not have recorded songs from the late sixties to early nineties without proper rehearsals. She used to be the last person to come to a recording and she would not listen to the final recording- which most of the singers do.Her refusal to come for rehearsals made late Naushad turn to other singers in 1970s.After the recording got over, Naushadji would sit with all the people involved with recording- lyricist, music arranger/orchestra conductor, recording/sound engineer and the instrumentalists. He would close the room, listen to the song over-and-over again and ask the persons present about their views about the recording. He would play all the takes and ask people as to which portion of which take is best. Lataji too attended these sessions when she was new. Once she became an established singer, she would leave the recording room, the moment the final take was rendered. This left the music director and lyricist with no option but to bear with an imperfect recording.The reason for 4 year rift between S.D. Burman and Lata Mangeshkar was that the latter refused to turn up for re-recording ‘Pag Thumak Chalat Saiyan Kaise Dharun Dheeer’ in Sitaron Se Aage (1958), when the composer felt that his suggestion to sing the song in ultra soft voice was wrong. This problem would never have arisen had Lata stayed to hear the final recording. After their patch-up S.D. Burman never called Lata for a re-recording.Naushad had also asked Lata to come to re-record a song of Teri Payal Mere Geet(1993), since he felt she had gone wrong at one place. Lata never turned up.Lata Mangeshkar was the person who demanded in sixties that the rehearsals and recordings should be done on the same day. Prior to this, the rehearsals would go on for days and sometimes weeks before the song would be finally recorded. She did that to compensate for the songs she lost due to royalty issue with Rafi, where almost the entire industry had backed Rafi. At the peak of her discord with Rafi she sang only 92 songs in 1965 as against 165 by Asha Bhosle and 158 by Rafi! For the first time since 1949 her song tally came below 100. So, rather than rolling back her demand for royalty, she devised this clever plan to demand for the song rehearsals and recordings being done on the same day. Being a commercial-minded person she knew very well that the producers would like this idea since they would save a lot of money. You might not be aware, the recording studios are to be taken on rent for rehearsals and recordings for which the producers ha ve to pay. So, to save money the producers lapped up the idea, as did the commercially successful music directors like Shankar Jaikishan and Kalyanji-Anandji who were having many assignments to complete. By this stroke, Lata also ensured that the budding singers are nipped in the bud, since being unaware of the technical aspect of recordings, they won’t be able to rehearse (learn) and record the song on the same day.Lata might or might not have won her battle against Rafi, but the quality of song recordings were never the same after this step of hers. Later on came a stage when songs have to be rehearsed and recorded in two shifts, i.e., in one shift one song would be rehearsed and recorded and in another the next song. This further led to deterioration of recordings. Kishore Kumar would take the tune of the song one day prior to recording so that he would be well prepared. Lata with her inflated ego would not do so.Her apathy towards learning the song properly has been well-documented. Even her biographies written by Harish Bhimani and Raju Bhartan had recorded this fact. Her minimalist approach to rehearsal has been pointed out even in India Today cover story on her.Due to the same lackadaisical approach this lady cared two hoots to learn properly or rectify her mistakes in ‘Kuchh Na Kaho’ (1942 A Love Story, 1994) knowing fully well that she is recording the last song of R.D.Burman and that too after his death. As a result this track is the only off-key one in the entire album. If she can’t do justice to a dead composer’s song who fought with his wife Asha Bhosle to give songs to Lata and who requested Lata to record his first song even when she was not recording with his father, what kind of perfectionist is she?As an aside, Sanjay Leela Bhansali was in the recording studio when this false goddess came to record Kuchh Na Kaho. So, intimidated he felt in her presence that he did not had the courage to board the same lift as Lata. For the record, the song was already recorded in the voice of Kavita Krishnamurthy. However, the producers were not happy with the way she had emoted in the song and felt only Lata would do justice to this pathos ridden song.However, when Bhansali heard the final version of Lata’s song- he was shocked to learn that forget about surpassing Kavita, his most favorite singer Lata could not even equal Kavitha’s version. This was reason, Kavita Krishnamurthy became the most favorite singer of Bhansali from that day onward, having sung most of the songs in 3 of his early films Khamoshi The Musical (1996), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Devdas (2002). This was the reason, Lata was not offered a single song by Bhansali, despite praising the music of his films every now and then.Before this incident Lata was humiliated by Dimple Kapdia when she insisted that Bhupen Hazarika’s version of Dil Hoom Hoom Kare be played and not Lata’s when she had to mourn near funeral pyre. Not only that, this version was retained in final cut despite director’s resistance. Please note that Lata had gone off-key in this Rudali song also. Not only that, her version of Samay O Dhire Chalo was not retained in the movie, Asha Bhosle’s was retained. Mind you, it is the same Dimple, whom Lata had cast in her Lekin (1991).K.J. Yesudas took one week to learn and record ‘Shadaj Ne Paaya Yeh Vardaan’ (Tansen, 1980). Asha Bhosle asked R.D. Burman and Khayyam to be given 8 days to learn Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera (Teesri Manzil, 1966) and songs of Umrao Jaan (1981). Kishore Kumar had asked for 7 days to learn Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon (Mehbooba, 1976). They took pains to learn these songs so that they are able to do justice, because they were perfectionist. L. R. Eswari rehearsed for 15 days for Pattathu Rani. Manna Dey rehearsed for 15 days for ‘Ketaki Gulaab Juhi’ (Basant Bahar, 1956).Lata never did that. Is she a perfectionist?In one interview she was saying Naushad would ask for rehearsals and retakes just for the heck of it. In a televised interview with Javed Akhtar she mocked the rehearsals of Aayega Aanewala (Mahal, 1949) and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal e Azam, 1960) as circus. Can she be thought of a perfectionist?She has stated in many an interview that sometimes she gets upset with her brother Hridaynath asking for retake after retake. Is she a perfectionist?Kamini Kaushal mentions that in one of her productions Lata recorded a song in 5 minutes. Is this something a perfectionist would do?But she is the first Asian/Indian to have performed at Royal Albert Hall, London-Oh really! Nothing can be farther from the truth. Lata Mangeshkar performed at Royal Albert Hall in March, 1974, whereas Pandit Ravi Shankar performed at the same venue on October 21,1969- almost 5 years before Lataji. One can check and verify it on the website of Royal Albert Hall.https://www.royalalberthall.com/about-the-hall/news/2012/december/a-tribute-to-ravi-shankar/But she is the first Indian to have performed at Madison Square Garden, New York- Claims to this sort has been made in ‘On stage with Lata’ written by Mohan Deoria and Rachna Shah (Meena Khadikar’s daughter) with introduction by Lata Mangeshkar herself. Even this claim is fictitious. Lataji performed here for the first time on May 25,1975, while Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Alla Rakha had performed here way back on August 01, 1971.But she has sung very tough/classical songs-What a joke! Do you know in Chori Chori (1956), there was a ‘Thillana’ - a rhythmic piece in Carnatic Music. Since pur ‘Sangeet Ki Devi’ was incapable of singing that, the music director duo Shankar-Jaikishan (for whom she was the favorite singer at that time) had to rope in late Madras Lalitangi Vasanthakumari- one of the female trinity of Carnatic Music to do justice to the classical piece. For the record, this was the toughest musical piece in that album. And mind you, at that time she was at the peak of her vocals.If she was so much classically trained- or for that matter her sister Asha Bhosle’s-what was the need for Rahul Dev Burman to get ‘Hamein Tumse Pyar Kitna’ recorded in the voice of Begum Parveen Sultana for Kudrat (1981), a movie made by Chetan Anand who was such a Lata bhakt that some of the very best of Lata-Madan Mohan combo has been for his films, such a Lata bhakt that he made Khayyam compose for Lata in Akhri Khat (1966) at a time when the composer would rather opt for Asha Bhosle or Suman Kalyanpur and would make Lata sing only when the producer would approach her. Here is the link :Khayyam Speaks On LataBut at the same time Chetan Anand was also aware of Lata’s limitations, being one of the first Hindi film directors to have got songs in his films like Neecha Nagar (1946) and Andhiyan (1952) composed by classical stalwarts like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan respectively.She has never ever in her career attempted something like ‘Ketaki Gulab Juhi’ which was sung by Manna Dey in Basant Bahar (1956) with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi or raagmalika ‘Shadaj Ne Paaya Yeh Vardaan’ which was sung by K.J. Yesudas for a shelved film Tansen (1980) when it was refused to be sung by Mohd. Rafi stating that he cannot do justice to the song.And why did she refused to sing Singara Velane Deva for Tamizh movie Konjum Salangai (1962) which was later on sung by Sishtla Sreeramamurthy Janaki with the nadaswara accompaniment of Naadaswaram Vidwan Karukkurichi Arunachalam For this song it can be said that it was refused by Madras LalitangiVasanthkumari, P.Leela,P. Susheela and Radha Jayalaxmi as well. For the uninitiated, the song was based on the Carnatic raag Abheri, which raag Bhimpalasi of Hindustani classical music resembles.Please see the link :♥ “Singara Velanae Deva”- S.Janaki’s Superb Solo with Nadaswaram Accompaniment ♫And is not it true that she refused to sing the Hindi version of ‘Pattathu Raani’, sung by Lourde-Mary Rajeswari Eswari for Tamizh movie Sivandha Mann (1969), when the movie was remade as Dharti (1970) stating that she could not match the dexterity of the original. The song was Arabic-themed with a mix of Persian firm of music. Please have the link:When songbirds speakAll these refusals happened when she was a so-called ‘queen of Hindi film music’.So, one cannot fault her for refusing 2 songs for Swami Vivekanand (released in 1998, songs recorded in 1994) when Salil Chowdhury approached her for the same. Mind you, it was produced by T. Subbarami Reddy- a person known to have close association with late Yash Chopra, Lata Mangeshkar’s rakhi-brother and who has co-produced the late producer-director movies like Vijay (1988), Chandni (1989) and Lamhe (1991).In the same Yash Chopra’s first directorial venture Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Sudha Malhotra was given a semi-classical composition ‘Kase Kahoon Man Ki Baat’, while Lata was given two easier, simpler songs to sing.Similarly, in Geet (1992), Alka Yagnik was given a weighteir ‘Jo dil se nikle woh hai geet’, while Lataji was relegated to singing a much milder ‘Aap jo mere meet na hote.’For all her so-called classical prowess she was not able to sing the complex portions of Jaaon Tore Charan Kamal Par Vaari in Sur Sangam (1985). For those who came in late, Pandit Rajan Mishra and Sajan Mishra sang for Girish Karnad and Lata sang for a child and Jaya Prada. In the movie, the song has been filmed where a Guru (teacher) teaches his Shishya (pupil). In such kind of songs (and even in such situations in real life) the pupil has to follow his teacher note-by-note. Not in this particular song. Here, to adjust for Lata’s shortcomings, the child is made to wander about or sit near a Jaya Prada’s character.And is not it true that the middle-eastern alaaps in her song ‘Tu Mujhe Qubool’ (Khuda Gawah,1992) were rendered by Kavita Krishnamurthy.Lata did this misadventure in her Hyderabad concert on March 09,2002 as well. The concert was named ‘Meri Aawaz Hi Pehchan Hai’. She collaborated with her brother on stage fir ‘Rasul Allah’ a classical piece from her Lekin (1991). However, as the song progressed to difficult portions like holding a note for long or singing at high pitch or rendering intricate harkats (vocal bends) Lata’s inabilities as a singer were exposed. While she did not attempt the tougher harkats and could not reach her brother’s high pitch, she had to leave the long notes abruptly. For a long time she was standing at the dais just observing her brother.Hey, but you can never hear her breathing in her songs-O really! It is clearly there in ‘Na Jaane Kyon’ (Chhoti Si Baat, 1976), Yashoda Ka Nandlala (Sanjog, 1985),sad version of ‘Kesariya Balma’ (Lekin, 1990), ‘Ho Gaya Hai Tujhko To Pyar Sajna’ and ‘Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye’ (DDLJ, 1995), Title Song (‘Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai’, 1998), ‘Jiya Jale’ (Dil Se, 1998), Door Kahin Ek Aam Ki Bagiya (Zubeidaa, 2001), title song of ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ (2001) and ‘Jaane Dil Mein Kab Se Hai Tu’ (Mujhse Dosti Karoge, 2002). These are just some of the examples. There are more such songs. Only one needs to listen carefully.Another point to be noted that compared to almost all other singers, Lataji sings smaller lines in one breath since she is having an unusually small breath for a singer especially since 1970s. All the singers have exploited this weakness of Lataji’s singing to the hilt.Many a times it sounds very odd and unusual to break line at places where she does. It breaks the flow. As per one interview of Kavita Krishnamurthy, music directors like Khayyam used to be very particular about it. Even Sahir Ludhianvi. Here are some examples-Asha Bhosle outshines Lata Mangeshkar :While Asha Bhosle sings ‘Bela Mehka Re Mehka Aadhi Raat Ko’(‘Utsav,’ 1985) in one breath, Lata Mangeshkar sings ‘Man Kyon Behka Ri Behka’ in one breath and ‘Aadhi Raat Ko’ in other breath. But Ashaji had more ways to surpass Lataji in this song. Sample this, Lataji sings ‘Jhanjhar Jhamke Sun Jhamke’ then takes a break then croons ‘ O Jhanjhar Jhamke Sun Jhamke’ again stops and then warbles ‘Jhanjhar Jhamke Sun Jhamke’. For Ashaji there is no need for any break in the entire verse ‘Usko Toko Na Roko, Roko Na Toko, Toko Na Roko’ and she sings it in one breath. In the entire song, Lataji has not been able to sing the entire mukhda in one breath. Every time she sings ‘Man Kyon Behka Ri Behka’ takes an interval and comes back with ‘Aadhi Raat Ko’. Since, Ashaji has better command over her breath, she sings as she wishes. Sometimes taking a breath between ‘Bela Mehka Ri Mehka’ and ‘Aadhi Raat Ko’, at other times (not less than 3 times) singing the entire verse in one breath. Lataji with her poor breath control does not have any option but to sing the same way throughout. Every time ‘Aadhi raat ko’ comes, Lataji sings the word ‘raat’ flatly, Ashaji sometimes gives a nice harkat on the same word while singing it flat the other times. Throughout the song Lataji sings ‘Man kyon Behka Ri Behka...Aadhi Raat Ko’ in a monotonous way, while Ashaji gives many a variations in the way she sings ‘Bela Mehka Ri Mehka Aadhi Raat Ko’. Just listen to this verse sung at the end of the mukhda, the first antara and the second antara, every time it has been sung differently. Even in the second antara, while Lataji sings ‘Baat Kehte Bane Kya Aadhi Raat Ko’ in the same way twice, Ashaji sings her ‘Aankh Kholegi Raat... Aadhi Raat Ko’ differently both times. The song belonged to Asha Bhosle as the 80s belonged to her. Does it needs informing that in 1987 Lataji sang a meager 19 songs compared to 122 sung by Ashaji in the same year. In fact, from 1954 till 1989 there are only 2 years in which Lataji has more song releases than Ashaji. In Jab Jab Tumhe Bhulaya from Jahan Ara (1964) Madan Mohan gave verses with longer note to the younger sister and those with smaller notes to the elder sister. Un ‘Sakhi Ri Sun Bole Papiha Us Paar’ (Miss Mary,1957) it is Asha Bhosle who sings the most complex alaap. Asha made Lata feel like pariah while singing ‘Aaina Hai Mera Chehra’ (Aaina, 1993) ‘Jan Gana Mana’ (2000), Kahin Kahin Se Har Chehra (Dil Kahin Hosh Kahin, 2000). In 1956 Lata sang ‘Inhi Logon Ne’ took a breath and sang ‘Inhi Logon Ne,Inhi Logon Ne.’ In 2001 release Lagaan, Asha Bhosle sang ‘Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale, Radha Kaise Na Jale’ in a single breath. What Asha could achieve (in terms of art) in her late 60s, was beyond Lata even in her mid 20s.Hariharan surpasses Lata Mangeshkar :Lataji sings ‘Paas Paas Hum Saath Saath Yun’ in one breath and ‘Baithe Rahein’ in another(‘Kabhi Main Kahoon’ from ‘Lamhe’, 1991),while A. Hariharan sings the entire sentence in one breath. Hariharan beats her more badly in Itna Lamba Kash Lo Yaaron (Hu Tu Tu, 1999). The word Yaaron has to be elongated and sung twice in the mukhda as well as the antara. In both the antaras Hariharan sings it in the same breath, not Lataji.And Hu Tu Tu was the last movie in which Vishal Bhardwaj used Lataji’s vocals. You know what I mean.Kishore Kumar overshadows her : In one of her iconic songs ‘Mere Naina Saawan Bhadon’(‘Mehbooba’,1976)while she sings ‘Ab Sochoon’ in one breath and ‘Woh Saawan’ in another Kishore Kumar sings the entire line at one go. Till date, I have heard singers following Kishore Kumar pattern than Lataji’s. Kishore Kumar thrashes her more badly in Tere Bina Zindagi Se (Aandhi, 1975). Lata has to take 2 pauses to sing lines like ‘Jee Mein Aata Hai’…‘Tere Daman Mein’….’Sar Jhukake Hum’ or ‘Kaash Aisa Ho’… ‘Tere Qadmon Se’….’Chunke Manzil Chale’ or Kishore sings similar lines in single breath. Remember, ‘Tum Jo Keh Do To Aaj Ki Raat Chand Doobega Nahin’ was in single breath. And is not it true that while singing ‘Saagar Kinare’ (Saagar, 1985) Lataji (just after the second antara) she just could not hold the note on the word ‘kinare’ and brings an abrupt end to it.Suresh Wadkar defeats her :Lataji sings ‘Yeh Ankhein Dekh Kar’ in first breath and ‘Duniya Bhool Jaate Hain’ in another (‘Dhanwaan’,1981) while Suresh Wadkar sings similar verse (i.e., Tum apne narm-o-nazuk zulf ke pechon ko kam kar do) in single breath.Nitin Mukesh embarrasses her : In that famous song from ‘Kranti’ (1981), when it comes to sing ‘Ho o o o o o Zindagi Ki’…’Na Toote Ladi’, Lataji sings the way I have mentioned (with breathing in place of blanks) while Nitin Mukesh sings it in one breath.S.P. Balasubramaniam makes her aware of her limitations:Same technique she applies in ‘Deewani Deewani’ song from ‘First Love Letter’ (1991). When she has to sing ‘Ho o o o o Aayi Teri baahon Mein’ …’Aayee’ she sings just like that (with breathing break at the dots) , the male part of which (‘Ho o o o o Jab Se Tu Dil Mein Samaayee)S.P. Balasubramaniam sings in single breath.S.P. Balasubramaniam displays his better breath control in ‘Kabootar Ja Ja Ja’ (‘Maine Pyar Kiya’, 1989) as well. He sings ‘Tu Yeh Sandesa Unko Sunana’ and the alaap which follows in the same breath’. Not only that, in the most popular song of the film, S.P.Balasubramaniam sings the mukhda ‘Dil Deewana Bin Sajna Ke Maane Na’ and ‘Dhak Dhak Bole It Ut Dole Din Raina’ in single breath, as does K.S.Chitra in the Telugu version of the song by the name ‘Nee Jataleka’. Our honorable Lataji’s vocals would not go beyond ‘Bin Sajna Ke’ and ‘It Ut Dole’ respectively.S.Janki and K.S. Chitra outperform her :In her first song for A. R. Rahman ‘Jiya Jale’ (‘Dil Se’ 1998), at first she sings ‘Dekhte Hain Tan Mera Man Mein Chubhati’…’Hai Nazar’. Second time, she sings it like “Dekhte Hain Tan Mera’… ‘Man Mein Chubhati Hai Nazar’. Actually, the composition is such that it sounds nice when sung in one breath. Which is where S. Janki beats her. Similar lines in the Tamil version of the same song in the first antara (‘Nenjinile Nenjinile’ from the movie ‘Uyire’1998) have been sung by Jankiamma in the same breath. K.S. Chithra does the same in Telugu version of the song (‘Innaalilaa Ledule’, ‘Premato’ 1998).She is not a patch on her idol Kundan Lal Saigal : In 1992–94,Lata brought out an album featuring cover version of songs sung by legendary singers . She tried singing ‘Soja Rajkumari Soja’ (Zindagi, 1940). But failed miserably. In the entire song her inability in holding notes was evident, despite the fact that Lataji sang the song in a much more technically advanced recording studio having 24 track recording system and more responsive mikes, where the original song was recorded on a single track. Despite also the fact that she had more than 50 years to build up on Saigal’s version.For the record, Kishore Kumar had refused to cut a cover version of his idol’s songs. But Lataji could not restrain commercial temptations. For record sake, Lataji had started working on this project since 1987. Please see the link.She surrenders before Mohd Aziz :In Bali Umar Ne Mera’ song from ‘Aawargi’ while Lataji gasps for breath between ‘Jaan Chhudali Maine’ and ‘Dil De Diya’, Mohammad Aziz does not. And this happens throughout this long song. The place where she breaks for breath was the most unsuitable and unjustified place to do so because from the word ‘Maine’ there was an upward climbing in the notes which spoils the very tempo and mood of the song. Little wonder, Anu Malik used to avoid her like a plague.Kumar Sanu humiliates her : Kumar Sanu outshadows her in ‘Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya’ (Kachche Dhaage, 1999) when he sings ‘Jaane Kahan Kho Gaya Dil, Dil Pardesi Ho Gaya’ in single breath. For Lataji, there should be one breath after comma. Contrast it with Asha Bhosle’s rendition of ‘Hum Laakh Chhupayen Pyar Magar Duniya Ko Pata Chal Jayega’ (‘Jaan Tere Naam’, 1992) in single breath, thus giving a matching and fitting company to Kumar Sanu.Even Jolly Mukherjee is a better singer than her: In Goriya Re Goriya Re (Aaina, 1993) there is a small vocal phrase sung by Jolly Mukherjee at the end of the word ‘marna’ in the line ‘Tere Sang Jeena Tere Sang Marna’. Alas, the daughter of the nation could not give the same vocal bend in her similar lines like ‘Yun hi mujhe seene se lagaye rakhna’ or ‘Meri saari duniya hai tere angna.’She can’t match Amit Kumar : The melody queen sings ‘O Jee Nahin Bharta’ pauses for breath and then completes ‘Teri Tehrir Se’. Amit Kumar does not have to stop for taking breath and he finishes ‘Are Jee Nahin Bharta Teri Tasveer Se.’ The song was from the movie Romance (1983) and it goes ‘ Maang Loonga Main Tujhe Taqdeer Se.’ He makes her realize her true worth in the song Yaad Aa Rahi Hai (Love Story, 1981) as well, when he sings the entire verse ‘Bante Bante Dulhan Preet Hamari Uljhan Ban Gayee’ in single breath (while singing for the second time). Didi was not able to achieve this feat ever in the song.Her Mukesh Bhaiyya makes ‘Achar’ (pickle) of her : In her biography she reminisces how her late Mukesh bhaiyya would tell her ‘Sasuri main tera Kya karoon? achar daloon?’ (wow! she really commanded such great respect!). And he makes a pickle of her in Mehboob Mere (Pathar Ke Sanam,1967). Just listen, his taans on the word ‘Mere’ and you would get to know when you compare the same with her rendition of the same word. In this song too, she ends the note on the word abruptly towards the end of the song.She pales in comparison to Bhupinder Singh : In ‘Dil Dhoondhata Hai’ (Mausam) she is able to sing lines like ‘karvat liye hue dil dhoondhta hai’ in one breath only ones. In verses like ‘Chhat Par Pade Hue’ and ‘Lamhe Liye Hue’ she is not able to sing the following ‘Dil dhoondhta hai’ in same breath. Bhupinder singh does this both in this song and it’s sad version.Manna Dey had better vocal power than her : In Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua (Shri 420, 1955) Manna Dey is able to sing ‘Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua Hai Pyar Se Phir Kyon Darta Hai Dil’ in single breath more number of times than she is able to sing ‘Kehta hai dil rasta Mushqil maloom nahin hai kahan manzil’ in single breath.Jagjit Singh holds it better than her :In Tum Paas Aa Rahe Ho (Veer Zara, 2004) late Jagjit Singh sings ‘Yeh Sharm Ki Adayein Woh Shokhiyon Ka Jadoo’ in first antara in single breath, not Lataji in her similar lines.She does cover version of Hemant Kumar like an amateur: Greed stricken Lataji, did a cover version of Hemant Kumar’s ‘Yeh Nayan Dare Dare’ (Kohra, 1964) as well. Alas! in his voice it sounded sensuous, in her voice it felt like a sad song (due to natural melancholy in her voice coupled with her singing style which makes most of her songs sound like a gloomy ones, even if they are not). Not only that, she sang ‘Chand Haseen’… took a pause then sang ‘Yeh Raat Haseen’ in one antara. In another antara she sang ‘Pyar Mein Hai’ then took a halt and then warbled ‘Jeevan Ki Khushi’.Late Hemant Kumar did not need these unauthorized halts.Why Kishore Kumar Declined A Cover Version Of His Idol KL Saigal's SongsThe artists which have brought out the cover version of her songs have excelled her in this regard. For example,Anuradha Paudwal gives her a run for her money : In the song ‘Maano To Main Ganga Maa Hoon’ from ‘Ganga Ki Saugandh’(1978) Lataji sings the line ‘Jo Swarg Ne Di’ …’Dharti Ko’ with breath in place of dots. When Anuradha Paudwal sang a cover version of this song she filled in the blanks.Kavita Krishnamurthy sings better than her : Kavita sang a cover version of Lata Mangeshkar ‘s most favorite song ‘Aayega Aanewala’ (‘Mahal’, 1949) in a Hindi movie called ‘Kadambari’ (1976) and even here she surpassed Lataji even though Kavita was very young and inexperienced then. Lataji sings ‘Be-aas besahare e e e e e e e Tadpega’ and then ‘Koi Kabkak’. Not Kavita who sings it at one go. Not only that, she delivers the harkat on the word ‘kaise’ in the line ‘Deepak Baghair Kaise’ better than Lataji. Kavita surpasses Lataji in her duet ‘Dil na kisika jaaye’ (‘Kshtriya’, 1993) as well both breath-wise and singing wise. Lataji sings ‘Darya Ke Paaniyon Se’…takes a pause and then takes over ‘Chadhti Jawaniyan’. Even when she repeats the line she pauses at the same place and there is no variation in the singing as well. Kavita does not need this break when singing similar line ‘Phoolon Mein Hote Hain… Sholay Bhi Aag Ke’ for the second time. Not only that, she gives a very nice harkat on the word ‘mein hote’ the when she sings for the second time. It is sad that even after singing for 50 years Lataji could not think of a variation which young Kavita did. But it is a fact. Little wonder 2 of Lataji’s antaras were not used in the movie (they are only in audio record). Little wonder after 1993 Laxmikant-Pyarelal remembered Lataji for just one song in Prem Granth (1996).Kavita outperforms Lataji in her version of Nachegi Saraswati (‘Ganga Jamuna Saraswati’, 1988) as well. This song appears twice in the movie. The happy and full version has been sung by Lataji and sad and smaller version by Kavita (which very few people may have noticed). Kavita’s version appears just before the end of the movie. In both the versions there is a long alaap at the end. Lataji had to pause thrice to complete the alaap, Kavita paused only once. Lataji has never sang a song for Laxmikant Pyarelal of the toughness of Om Namah Shivay (Bhairvi, 1996)Forget about professional singers, even occasional singers and non-singers have beaten the daylights out of this ‘one-woman music industry’ called Lataji, in this regard.She can’t equal her own Madan Mohan bhaiyya :In ‘Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon’ (‘Dastak’,1970) late Madan Mohan sings lines like ‘Lat Mein Padi Kaisi Birha Ki Mati’ in single breath. Not Lataji who has to break the flow between ‘Kaisi’ and ‘Birha’.Even Amitabh Bachchan can hold his breath longer -In ‘Neela Asmaan So Gaya’ (‘Silsila’,1981) there is a small alaap followed by ‘Yaad Ki Vaadi Main Goonje… Beete Afsaane’. Lataji first takes pause after alaap and then pauses between ‘Goonje’ and ‘Beete Afsaane’. However such pauses are not there in Amitabh Bachchan’s version of the same song.Manmohan Singh belittles her :In ‘Mere Pyar Ki Umar Ho Itni Sanam’ (‘Waaris’ 1988) Lataji halts for breath after singing ‘Umar Ho Itni Sanam’ and then proceeds for ‘Tere Naam Se Shuru’. Not co-singer Manmohan Singh (who is basically a cinematographer and movie director and has occasionally sang especially for Uttam (Singh)- Jagdish (Khanna) duo).Pakistani singers outmatch her :In ‘Hum Bhool Gaye Re Har Baat’ (‘Sautan Ki Beti’, 1989) Lataji sings the line mentioned, pauses for breath and then sings ‘Magar Tera Pyar Nahin Bhoole’. In the original version of this song from Pakistani movie ‘Saheli’(1960) (which does not have a ‘re’)Naseem Begum pauses for breath after the word ‘Pyar’ which is a much better place to takeHer non-film album Sarhadein (2011) Lataji while singing ‘Tera Milna Bahut… Accha….Lage Hai’ shortens the stretch to be given to the word ‘Milna’. Please listen to Late Mehdi Hasan’s version carefully to know what I mean.List of such songs is endless and one just need to carefully listen to her songs to know why one does not get to hear her breathing in many of her songs. This is not called breath control, it’s vocal tactics to hide your lack of breath control.The reason for giving reference to so many song was just to prove my point that almost all singers/non-singers surpass Lataji as far as breath control is concerned. I have given one song for each singer.Of course there are some exceptions which are kind of her saving grace and consolation for over-ardent fans.For example she surpassed Asha Bhosle in ‘Kar Gaya Re (Basant Bahar, 1956) when she sang ‘Patthar Ki Moorat Ke Darshan Kara Doon Patthar Ki Moorat Ke Darshan Kara Doon’ in single breath. Asha Bhosle could not sing her similar line in single breath which was ‘Mehfil Mein Nachi Tumhari Pujaran’ which also comes twice but Asha had to take a breath in between. Not only that Asha’s voice sounded strained at higher octave and it was too nasal (considered impure in Hindustani Classical Music).ln the same year Shamshad Begum had surpassed both Ashaji and Rafi In Leke Pehla Pehla Pyar (CID, 1956) where the former had sung the entire mukhda in one breath which neither Rafi nor Asha could accomplish.The victim of Lataji’s breath control was Md. Rafi- an even more overrated legend- who had the worse breath control. The way she took longer taan (than Rafi) in Jeevan Mein Piya Tera Saath Rahe (Goonj Uthi Shehnai, 1959) just before the mukhda had enthralled the listeners.In ‘Teri Ankhon Ke Siva’ (Chirag, 1969), Rafi had sung mukhda in three pieces ‘Teri Ankhon’ then ‘Ke Siva Duniya Mein’ followed by ‘Rakha Kya Hai’. In the last antara he sang it in 4 pieces. Lataji sang it in two piece. At the end of the sung Rafi had to abruptly break second line of the antara at the most appropriate place. After singing ‘Mera Jeena’ taking a break and singing ‘Mera Marna Inhin Pal’ Rafi gasped for breath so ‘Kon’ part of the word ‘Palkon’ got separated from ‘Pal’. Anyway the same year we saw the re-emergence of Kishore Kumar and so we had to bear with lesser breathing breaks and intervals.In ‘Chalo Dildar Chalo’ (Pakeezah, 1972) there were two alaaps between second and third antara. Rafi has to take his alaap in two installments, Lataji completed in single breath. For the record, both the alaaps were of similar length.In Chhadi Re Chhadi (Mausam, 1976) Rafi had to stop for breath twice while singing first line of his antara, Lataji did stop only once. When the same line was repeated as also the second line Rafi could not sing in single breath, Lataji sang her similar lines in single breath in one of her two antaras.However, that antara was not kept in the film. It is only there in audio. Lataji surpasses Rafi even in the way she goes from ‘Pairon Ki Bedi Kabhi Lage Hathkadi’ to ‘Chhadi Re Chhadi’ in single breath. While Rafi’s rendition was flat, Lataji gave a nice harkat to the word ‘Hathkadi’.Even in Simti Hui Yeh Ghadiyan (Chambal Ki Kasam, 1979) Lataji displays better breath control.In ‘Jab Hum Jawan Honge’ (Betaab, 1983) she displayed better breath control than Shabbir Kumar. She sings lines like ‘Faryaad Karenge Tumhe Yaad Karenge’ in single breath. Shabbir had to pause at ‘Yaad’. Besides she gave harkats in antaras as well.In ‘Mujhe Tum Yaad Karna’ (Marshal, 1984), she surprisingly exhibited better breath control than Kishore Kumar. Just listen how she sings ‘Magar Tum Laut Ke Aaoge Yeh Mat Bhool Jaana Tum’ in single breath, while Kishore Kumar took a pause after ‘Aaoonga’ in similar line. Even she sang the lines of antara in single breath (except one), which KK did not do. But this was a rare phenomenon.In ‘Zindgi Har Qadam Ek Nayee Jung Hai’ (Meri Jung,1985)she sings ‘Tu Agar Sang Hai’ in single breath, which Nitin Mukesh could not do. He paused after ‘Agar’. Not only that his taan at ‘hai’ was flatter compared to Lataji and Md. Aziz.But she never mispronounces the words-I know one of the greatest lyricists Javed Akhtar vouches for this which is not correct.In sad version of the title song of Barsaat (1949)-‘Barsaat Mein Tumse Mile Hum’ to be precise- this self-righteous lady sings ‘Man’ as ‘Gham’(the actual word incidentally used to be sung in concerts).Just listen to how she pronounces the word ‘Zabaan’(she pronounces it as Jabaan) in the song ‘Mohabbat Aisi Dhadkan Hai’ from ‘Anarkali’ (1953). In the more iconic ‘Yeh Zindagi Usi Ki Hai’ she sings ‘Fiza’ at a place where it should have been ‘Khiza’. Of course, she realized that mistake and in concerts she would sing the correct word only.In ‘Kahin Deep Jale Kahin’ (Bees Saal Baad, 1962) she pronounces ‘Jale’ as ‘Chale’, कौन as कौंन and ‘kayee’ as ‘kayeen’.She sings ‘Kayee’ as ‘Kayeen’ in Chori Chori Koi Aaye ( Noorie, 1979) and ‘Tumhare Bin Guzare Hain’ (Atmaram, 1979) as well.In ‘Ab Charaghon Ka Koi Kaam Nahin’ (Baawri, 1982), she warbles the second word as Charagon.In Aapki Nazaron Ne Samjha (Anpadh, 1962), she sings ‘Saikadon’ as ‘Sainkadon’.In ‘Main Tumhari Ragini Tum Geet Ho’ (Roop Sundari, 1964), she croons ‘Ragini’ as ‘Ragni’.In one of her most heard songs ‘Lag Ja Gale’ (Woh Kaun Thi? 1964) she seems to be in quandary regarding the correct diction of ‘Ho Na Ho’. Sometimes it is the way it has just been mentioned, at others it is ‘Hon Na Hon’.In my view, the song where she had made maximum number of mistakes in pronunciation was ‘Kabhi Aye Haqeeqat-e-Muntazar’ from ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Ki’ (1966). Please see the following mistakes:1) The actual lyrics is ‘Tu Bacha Bacha Ke Na Rakh Ise’. ‘Ma Saraswati’ sings it as ‘Na Bacha Bacha Ke Tu Rakh Ise’.2) While pronouncing ‘Haqeeqat’ there should be less emphasis on the second ‘q’, it is pronounced as ‘k’.3) It is ‘Aziz’ not ’Ajiz’ which is the way ‘Melody Queen’ sings it.4) She for sure did not know singular and plural of Hindi grammar. In ‘Tera Aaina’ ‘Aaina’ is a singular noun.So, the auxiliary verb should be ‘hai’ not ‘hain’ which is how ‘Goddess of Song’ pronounces it.4) It is not ‘Gajanavi’ as ‘The Nightingale of India’ puts it, it is ‘Ghaznavi’.5)’Garmiyan’, ‘ShoKhiyan’ are all plural nouns, should be followed by ‘rahin’-a plural verb- is the way Allama Iqbal wrote it, the ‘ Maharani of Melody’ deciphered it as ‘rahi’ which is a singular verb.6)Last but not the least, it is ‘hai nigah-e-aaina saaz mein’ not ‘hain nigahein aaina saaz mein’In Kuchh Dil Ne Kahaa (Anupama, 1966), she pronounces ‘Soona’ as ‘Sona’. Ironically, 38 years later Shreya Ghosal sang/ made to sing ‘Soona Soona’ as ‘Sona Sona’ in Krishna Cottage (2004).In ‘Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai’ (Guide, 1965) she sings ‘Safar’ as ‘Saphar’ and ‘Aaj’ as ‘Aach’. Ironically, she is at unease to sing at high pitch in lines like ‘Jaane Kya Paake Meri Zindgi Ne’ (where her ‘ne’ is barely audible) and ‘Dar Hai Safar Mein Kahin Kho Na Jaaoon Main’ (where one can feel the stress on her vocals in ‘Jaaoon Main’ as she is not able to sing these words with the same volume, strength and intensity as the rest). Here the difficulty was two-fold : high pitch coupled with long line in one breath as per Lataji’s capabilities. She feels more at ease while singing similar lines like ‘koi Na Roko Dil ki….Udan ko’ (where she takes a break between ‘ki’ and ‘udaan’ ) and phool hi phool Zindagi… bahar hai’ ( where she takes a breath after zindgi). This is basically the reason I strongly believe that singing smaller lines in one breath was is Lataji forte borne out of vocal compulsion rather than an artistic choice. In Ghairon Pe Karam (Ankhein, 1968) her voice breaks in the opening line as she has to stretch the word ‘Karam’ a bit too much than her small breath would allow.Talking about Lataji, listen to one of her songs for that Ghazalon Ka Baadshah late Madan Mohan from the movie ‘Dastak’ (1970)- ‘Mai Ri Main Kaase Kahoon’. Our melody queen pronounces ‘Jiya’ as ‘Jiyan’. To save her from embarrassment, her rakhi-brother Madan Mohan mis-pronounces the word ‘Baawre’ as ‘Baanwre’. What a brother-sister bonding! In ‘Hum Hain Mataye Koocha-o-Bazaar ki tarah from the same movie, she sings ‘Dil’ as ‘Til’ (when the word comes for the third time) and ‘Phirti’ as ‘Bhirti’.Now move on to ‘Tu Chanda Main Chandni’, one of her classics from ‘Reshma Aur Shera’ (1971) where she pronounces ‘Sarovar’ as ‘Sarvar’.From one classic to another, from ‘Reshma Our Shera’ to ‘Pakeezah’ (1972).Tune in to ‘Chalte Chalte’, whose modern version is giving her nightmares. In its first antara there is a word called ‘baat’(to be sung twice) .Our lady in white pronounces it as ‘Paat’ for the first time and ‘Baat’ in the second time.In Yeh Dil Aur Unki Nigaahon Ke Saaye (Prem Parbat, 1973), she sings ‘Hain’ as ‘Hai’, ‘Baadal’ as ‘Paadal’ and ‘Julte as ‘Chulte’.In another classic ‘Apne Aap Raaton Mein’ (Shankar Hussain, 1977), she pronounces ‘baanhon’ as ‘baahon’ in the line ‘Jaane Kiski Baanhon Se Bijliyan Lapakti Hain’.In Simti Hui Yeh Ghadiyan (Chambal Ki Kasam, 1979) she sings ‘basee’ instead of ‘basein’ which renders the entire verse meaningless.In the title song of Naseeb (1981) the actual line is ‘Yeh Hum Kya Jaane, Yeh Woh Hi Jaane, Jisne Likha Hai Sabka Naseeb’. While singing the verse in the beginning of the song she changes ‘Jisne’ with ‘Kisne’ which is really weird to say the least. This replacement terms the entire verse meaningless. While the original lyrics would mean ‘Only the one who has written the destiny of everyone knows as to whether you are there in my destiny and I am there in your destiny’. Lata-daughter of God Brahma( She is Goddess Saraswathi, no less) corrects herself when she sings the verse at the end of the song.In Ajnabee Kaun Ho Tum (Sweekar Kiya Maine,1983) her pronunciation of the word ‘Ghazal’ sounds like ‘Gazal’.Come to a very popular number ‘Sun Sahiba Sun’ from ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’(1985). Didi mis-pronounces ‘Preet’ as ‘Prith’ in that number. Then there is a blunder in the song ‘Dil Deewana’ from the blockbuster ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ (1989).She sings ‘Maange’ as ‘Maangein’ in the line ‘Duniya Maange Apni Muradein.’ In the title song of Sooraj Barjatya’s second movie ‘HAHK’ (1994) this numero uno singer gets the pronunciation of the word ‘Surkhi’. To hear the correct pronunciation, listen to her own song ‘Surkh Jode Ki Jagmagahat’.In more popular ‘Mayee Ni Mayee’ she pronounces ‘Ramaake’ as ‘Ravaanke’ for the first time(next time she gets it correct).In ‘Bedardi Tere Pyar Ne’ (Henna, 1991) the spinster utters ‘kayal’ which was in reality ‘khayal’.In Aditya Chopra’s blockbuster DDLJ (1995) our National Singer uses the word ‘Jaaye’ and ‘Chai’ interchangeably in the song ‘Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye’. In his father’s ‘Dil to Pagal Hai’ (1997) she pronounces the word ‘Bekhabar’ wrong in the song ‘Pyar Kar’(for correct pronunciation listen to the way Udit Narayan sings it.) In another song from the same movie (Are Re Are Yeh Kya Hua) she sings ‘jaayen’ as ‘jaahen’ in the verse which goes like ‘Tum chale jao zara hum sambhal jaayen’. And when it comes to sing ‘ban jaaye afsana’ she pronounces the word ‘ban’ as the word is pronounced in English.Likewise she her pronunciation for the word ‘Khatm’ was wrong in ‘Tum Kya Mile Jaane Jaan’ from ‘Saatwan Aasman’(1992)-Udit Narayan again gets the pronunciation right besides singing the song better than her.Just listen how he holds the note on the word ‘Gaya’ longer than her when both sing the verse ‘Pyar Zindgi Se Ho Gaya’ together. Not only that the harkat which he brought in the mukhda ‘Tum Kya Mile Jaane Jaan’ when it comes in second antara puts Lataji to shame. In fact he gives very nice harkat to the word ‘taqdeerein’ as well which appears in the second antara as ‘Sabse Alag Laaye Hain Likhwa Ke Taqdeerein’.In the song ‘Mere Paon Mein Mehdi Lagi Hai (Salma Pe Dil Aa Gaya, 1997) she pronounces ‘Zewar’ as ‘Jewar’ and the song ‘Doli Like Yahan Koi Aata Nahin’ (Allah Rakha, 1986) she gets not less than 3 words wrong (‘Saher’ as ‘Sahar’, ‘Zamana’ as ‘Samana’ and ‘Khaak’ which is not the way she pronounces it in ‘Ud Ud Ke Kahegi Khaak Sanam’ in ‘Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujhpar’ (Junglee, 1961).In Pukar (2000) she pronounces the word ‘Jaaye’ as ‘Jaayen’ in the song ‘Ek Tu Hi Bharosa’, which is all the more shocking since it was pictured on her. Then, under her own perfectionist brother’s baton she mispronounces the word ‘Baat’ as ‘Baant’ in the song ‘Mitwa’ from ‘Lal Salaam’ (2002). Before this she pronounces the word ‘Samaaye’ as ‘Samaayen’ in the song ‘Mere Dil Mein Tum’ from Censor (2001) (watch out this song for her lack of breathlessness as well). In this regard, she treats everybody equally. Hence, not even she spares late Naushad’s creation in this regard, who is regarded as a perfectionist and the one who claimed to have taught her the finer nuances of Urdu. Here under the music direction of so-called Sangeet Samrat (I wonder if he was Sangeet Samrat, then who was Mian Tansen) she mis-pronounces ‘Zamane’ as ‘Samane’ in the song ‘Mohabbat Ka Ek Devta Sa Mila’ (Teri Payal Mere Geet, 1993).Now we move over to songs written by Javed Akhtar who seems to be the biggest believer in her perfect diction. Listen to ‘Tere Liye’ from ‘Veer Zaara’ (2004). Notice something. The Nightingale of Bollywood (not of India as this title has already been conferred upon Sarojini Naidu, her likeness for Mohammed Ali Jinnah notwithstanding). She sings ‘Baghair’ as ‘Bagair’. For correct pronunciation, you can refer from her own ‘Aayega Aanewala’ (Mahal, 1949) to ‘Sili Hawa Choo Gayee’(Libaas,1988) or her pronunciation of ‘Ghair’ in Tum Mere Ho (Betaabi, 1997).This blunder is most shocking as she was singing for a Madan Mohan tune after 29 years. Ironically in a televised interview with Nasreen Munni Kabir in 1990, the same Lataji recalled as to how impressed was Jaddanbai ( Nargis’s mother, herself a music composer) with her flawless pronunciation of the same word. Then she mispronounces ‘Rahe’ as ‘Rahen’ , ‘Aansoo’ as ‘Aasoo’.Needless to say, Roopkumar Rathod sings the song better than her despite it being his first Madan Mohan song though he also has his share of diction mistakes. Just listen how he gives a different dimension to ‘Honthon Ko Siye’ while singing at the end.Then there is a Ghazal in her album ‘Saadgi’(2007) : ‘Jo Itne Kareeb Hain Is Dil Ke’ where in the entire song she uses the word ‘Se’ in place of ‘Ke’. Those who know Hindi grammar would tell you ‘Se’ is used to show distance or separation (Apadan Karak), while ‘Ke’ is used to show relation (Sambandh Karak).Finally, in her Maha Mrityunjay Mantra recitation (2014) she recites Trayambakam as Trambakam, Sugandhim as Sugandim, Vardhanam as Vardanam, and Bandhanaat as Vandhanaat. Her co-singer Shankar Mahadevan gets all the words right.But Madhubala (post ‘Mahal’, 1949) insisted that only Lata Mangeshkar should sing for her (and so did Saira Banu): This is a lie propagated by LM herself. If it is correct then how come Geeta Dutt sang ‘Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata’ in ‘Mr. & Mrs. 55’, not to mention numerous songs sung by Asha Bhosle for the Venus of Indian Cinema viz., Piya Piya Na Laage Mora Jiya, Ek Pardesi Mera Dil Le Gaya (Phagun, 1958),Achha Ji Main Haari (Kala Pani, 1958),Aaiye Meharbaan (Howrah Bridge, 1958) and Haal Kaisa Hai Janaab Ka (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, 1958).But she never goes off-key: This is also a misstatement. Strongest cases in point are ‘Dil Hoom Hoom Kare’ (‘Rudaali’, 1993) and ‘Kuch Na Kaho’, (‘1942 A Love Story’,1994).But she has sung 50,000/30,000 songs :As per Guinness World Records, P. Susheela (known as Gana Saraswathi or Gana Kokila or Nightingale/Lata Mangeshkar of South India) has recorded 17, 695 songs since 1960s, becoming the most recorded artist in the world.She has sung more songs than these given the fact that she has been singing from 1952, but the Guinness has verified her songs from 1960 onwards.Please find the link below: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/singer-p-susheela-enters-guinness-record-number-songs-multiple-languages-40931Prior to this, in 2011 Asha Bhosle was regarded as the most recorded artist by the same Guinness World Records having sung 11,000 songs from 1947-till then.Please find the link below: https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/asha-bhosle-enters-guinness-world-records-143858-2011-10-21With latest Guinness World Records Ashaji has been relegated to second most recorded artist in the world. However, as far as the number of original songs sung is concerned, Asha Bhosle May still be ahead of P.Susheela, since the way Bollywood songs are recorded and the songs down south are recorded is totally different. While Hindi films are mostly unilingual i.e, they are made in Hindi language only and for long even if they used to be dubbed, seldom the same singers would sing the songs, given that singing for other languages is not as lucrative.The South Indian films by contrast are often made in more than one language, sometimes made in Tamizh-Telugu simultaneously, at other times in Tamizh-Malayalam, at yet other times in Tamizh-Telugu-Malayalam and even in all the major 4 South Indian languages. If they are unilingual originally, they are dubbed/remade into other Dravidian languages after they are declared blockbusters. In most of the cases under all the three scenarios,the Original Soundtrack is dubbed into various languages with similar Music Director and singer. Only lyricists are different. Hence the reason for Susheela’s tally of 17695 songs is the multiplier effect in South, where a single song is replicated in different languages.Lata Mangeshkar has sung 6541 songs from 1942-2014. She could not have sung more due to her avoidance of songs having double entendre/Rock-n-Roll songs/Quawwalis/Mujras/Disco/Cabaret songs (which have a very minuscule percentage in her career), her frequent sinus/health problem, her high fee coupled with insistence of royalty, her non-ending concerts abroad from 1974–1998 and her aversion to film music from mid 1970s onwards.But film’s music runs on the strength of her voice/she can make or break a composer : Then how O.P.Nayyar’s music in 50s and 60s and Nadeem-Shravan’s in 90s and 2000s became so popular. In fact, she has proved to be very unlucky for many of the composers right from the 50s. She sang 240 Hindi film songs for Chitagupta. He was never in the big league. Likewise, success always eluded Madan Mohan (he would get his first silver jubilee 14 years after his first film and never won a Filmfare award) for whom she sang no less than Hindi film 213 songs in his lifetime.Ditto her own brother, who composed 41 Hindi film songs for her. Apart from Yaara Sili Sili (‘Lekin’,1991), none of the songs are popular. None of his movies ran well, even Lekin.Of the younger generation composers, Raamlaxman gave her no less than 80 Hindi film songs (13 in 80s and 67 in 90s). However, apart from exceptions like ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ (1989, having 6 of her songs, all chartbusters) and ‘HAHK’! (1994, having 11 songs by Lataji, all chartbusters) his movies never tasted success, even music would be. He had his first hit ‘Hum Se Badhkar Kaun’ (1981) without Lataji’s voice.Likewise, Uttam-Jagdish (later on Uttam Singh) gave not less than 35 Hindi film songs. However, apart from ‘Mere Pyar Ki Umar Ho Itni Sanam’ from ‘Waaris’ (1988) and 7 songs of ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ (out of 9 rendered by her), which were all chartbusters (1997) none of his film having her playback was a successful one.Her association with Anu Malik was very unfruitful from the word goes. Films having majority of her songs viz., ‘Ganga Jamuna Saraswathi’(1988, having 4 of her songs) and ‘Radha Ka Sangam’ (1992, having 3 of her songs) sank without a trace, while ‘Dil Dhoondhata Hai’ (in which she sang 1 song) still remains unreleased. Despite her singing for his films like ‘Aapas Ki Baat’ (1982, 1 song) and ‘Mangal Pandey’(1983, 1 song),he did not see any success till until ‘Ek Jaan Hain Hum’(1983) in which she did not have a single song. None of his musical scores having her songs were commercial success and none of his commercially successful scores are having a single song by her. Though she sang 16 of his songs only 2 are popular (‘Saajan Mera Uss Paar Hai’ and ‘Bali Umar Ne Mera’. Anu Malik is known to avoid Lata Mangeshkar. Khalid Mohamed wanted to cast Lataji’s voice in one of the songs of Fiza (2000). Anu Malik told her high fee is unsuitable for the project. After this Khalid approached Lataji directly and she agreed to sing without fee. But in this period Anu got the song recorded in the voice of Jaspinder Narula. Please see link for proof.Ode to the nightingale, in NY and Peddar RoadPlay It Again: An Evening In New York With Lata MangeshkarSame way Dharmesh Darshan wanted Lataji to sing in Dhadkan (2000).But Nadeem-Shravan thwarted the attempt stating she is inaccessible. Himesh Reshammiya sent a CD of ‘Odhni’ song to Lataji when the film was still called Sethu. When the movie was released as Tere Naam (2003) we had Alka Yagnik crooning the song.Similarly, Anand-Milind started their career with Ab Aayega Mazaa (1984) which had her song ‘Raja Tere Raste Se’. Though the song was a bit popular those days, they have to wait till ‘QSQT’ (1988) and ‘Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka’ (1988) to get into big league, none of which had songs by Lataji or Ashaji. Though she has sung 9 songs in total for them in 6 movies, only 1 movie (‘Lootere’ 1993) is a successful one even though 5 of the songs were quite popular (2 still are).Likewise, none of her 9 songs for Aadesh Srivastava could do any wonders for his career. Films like Kanyadaan (1993), Jaane Tamanna (1994) and Anarkali (1997) could not see the light of the day. All of these only have audio release.Music directors viz.,Chhota Iqbal, Rajkamal,J.P.Kaushik,A. Hariharan (who is a playback singer too),Viju Shah (son of Kalyanji Veerji Shah of Kalyanji-Anandji duo), Bally Sagoo,Karthik Raja (son of Iliyaraja), Anand Raaj Anand, M.M. Keeravani (Telugu), Santosh Nair, Leslie Louis, Raju Singh, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Sukhwinder Singh (who is a playback singer too), Sandeep Chowta,Himesh Reshammiya,Sanjeev-Darshan (sons of Shravan Rathore), Jeet (Ganguly)-Pritam (Chakroborty),Sajid-Wajid, Daboo Malik( younger brother of Anu Malik), Milind Sagar, D Imman, Vidyasagar (Tamil),Aamir Ghulam Ali (Ashaji sung for his father Ghulam Ali too for Meraz-e-Ghazal in 1983),AD Boyz,Ustad Shujaat Khan (she’s sung for his father late Ustad Vilayat Khan too and Lataji has not sung for the father as well), Bapi-Tutul,Nitin Shankar, Sanjeev Srivastava and Vishal Mishra have made their mark without offering any song to Lataji even though all of them have their songs sung by Ashaji. It also breaks the myth that O.P. Nayyar was the only music director to have avoided Lataji. She has worked with Music arranger Tabun Sutradhar in Aap Ki Asha (non-film album,2001) and Yaadein (2001).Yes, there are a few composers for whom Lataji has sung but Ashaji has not. For example, Pankaj Mallick, Khemchand Prakash,RanjitBarot, Ismail Darbar (unreleased song),Mayuresh Pai.Of course Lataji has also sung for two generations of music directors (father-son) viz., S.D. Burman and R.D.Burman, Roshan Lal Nagrath And Rajesh Roshan, Sardar Malik and Anu Malik, Chitragupta Srivastava and Anand-Milind, Anil Biswas and Utpal Biswas (of Amar-Utpal duo), Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (of Shiv-Hari team) and Rahul Sharma, Apresh Lahiri And Bappi Lahiri, Madan Mohan Kohli And Sanjeev Kohli (who recreated her songs in Veer-Zara), Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar and Baijnath Mangeshkar, Jamal Sen and his son Shambhu Sen and his grandsons Lalit Sen and Sameer Sen (duo with his another son Dilip Sen).Ashaji has not worked with Apresh Lahiri, Sanjeev Kohli and Baijnath Mangeshkar. Lataji has sung for brothers also who worked separately, viz., Khemchand Prakash and Basant Prakash, Pandit Amarnath and Husnlal-Bhagatram. But all this does not take us away from the fact that Ashaji has sung for more Music Directors than Lataji and her acceptance across generations is far more than Lataji. Further, old timers have deserted Lataji more than Ashaji since late 70s.But her voice still has the freshness of a 16/18 year old girl : Another wrong statement. Even 37 years back, her voice would not suit a young heroine many a times, especially at low octaves. Want proof! Listen to her ‘O Saathiya’ (especially the line ‘Tera Sahara Hoon Main’ from ‘Vidhaata’ (1982) and carefully observe whether it really suits Padmini Kolhapure. It is only when you contrast her songs with some song by a younger voice that you feel the difference.For that matter, even Asha Bhosle’s voice does not suit younger heroines like when she sings ‘Yeh Lamha Ji Lene De’ for Sushmita Sen in ‘Filhaal’,2002 you know it is not a 27 year girl. Even before this in 1996 when you hear ‘Naina Bole Naina’ (Aur Ek Prem Kahani), you know it is not sung by a young girl but a mature lady past her prime.However, compared to her elder sister, Ashaji’s voice sounds relatively fresh. Just listen to their duet with Jagjit Singh ‘Kahin Kahin Se Has Chehra’ ( Recorded for Chetan Anand’s Anarkali, released in 2000 as non-film album called ‘Dil Kahin Hosh Kahin’) or ‘Aaina Hai Mera Chehra’(‘Aaina’, 1993) where you can feel which sister sounds more aged. Mind you, I am just commenting upon freshness of voice, not sweetness where Lataji still excels her younger sister.Little wonder that in many of her songs were used in background viz.,’Kuch Na Kaho’ (‘1942 A Love Story’, 1994), ‘Main Kamzor Aurat’ (‘Prem Granth’, 1996),’Kaun Dagar’ (‘Lajja’, 2001),’Kitne Ajeeb Rishtey ‘(‘Page 3’, 2005) and ‘Shayad Yahi To Pyar Hai’(‘Lucky: No Time For Love’) or have been used on older characters viz., herself ( Ek Tu Hi Bharose in Pukar,2000),Jaya Bachchan (‘Title Song’‘K3G’2001) and Suhasini Mulay (O Palanhare in Lagaan, 2001- for Gracy Singh, Sadhna Sargam sang in the movie, though her voice did not appear in the music album).But she has sung for all songs for Yash Chopra heroines: No. In Yash Chopra films like ‘Dharmputra’(1961), ‘Waqt’ (1965), ‘Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969),’Deewar’ (1975) and ‘Jab Tan Hai Jaan’ (2012) not a single song has been sung by Lataji. In the first four Asha Bhosle has sung.Even in the films in which Lataji sang, she was not the only female singer.But she is the greatest singer ever/alive :The statement does gross injustice to Asha Bhosle, who is of late being considered the greatest Indian singer ever. Filmmaker Subhash Ghai and music directors like Shravan Kumar Rathod (of Nadeem-Shravan fame) have openly said this. She should have featured at number 1, not Lata Mangeshkar. After all, she has sung more songs than her elder sister, she is still singing in concerts, while Lata Mangeshkar sang in her last concert in 2003.Besides, she has sung for new generation actresses like Tapsee Pannu ( Saand Ki Ankh, 2019) Vidya Balan (Begum Jaan, 2017), Kangana Ranaut (Revolver Rani, 2014), Preeti Jhangiani (Kaash Tum Hote, 2013) Bipasha Basu (Corporate, 2006), Hrishitaa Bhatt (Page 3, 2005), Shamita Shetty (Bewafaa, 2005 and Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, 2002),Mallika Sherawat (Kis Kis Ki Kismat, 2004 and Khwaish, 2003),Isha Kopikkar (Company, 2002),Aditi Govitrikar & Anjala Zaveri (Soch, 2002) Sonali Bendre (Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega 2001, Sapoot,1997 and English Babu Desi Mem, 1996),Amisha Patel (Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, 2000), Kashmira Shah (Kranti, 2002 and Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar, 2000)Mahima Chaudhry (Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin, 1999) Sushmita Sen (Filhaal 2002) and Hindustan Ki Kasam, 1999) and Shilpa Shetty (Baazigar, 1993). Lataji has not sung for any of these.In fact Shilpa Shetty and Amisha Patel have started their careers with Asha Bhosle’s vocals, as have Kajol (Bekhudi, 1992), Rani Mukherjee (Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, 1996), Aishwarya Rai (Iruwar and Aur Pyar Ho Gaya,1997), Gracy Singh (Lagaan, 2001).This month Ashaji has recorded Durga Puja Songs. Last year, she recorded Bhagwan Jagannath Bhajan in Odia and for a Kannada film called '19/11'. Lataji also started recording Ram Raksha Stotra early last year, but it seems she could not complete it, as it has not been released so far. Asha Bhosle stunned everybody by recording non-film album Naina Lagaike 'live' (with Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan) at the age of 77 (in 2010). Similarly, she gave us goosebumps when she recorded another non-film album Legacy with Ustad Ali Akbar Khan in 1996. All the 12 songs of this album were pure Hindustani classical bandish.Nadeem-Shravan offered Lataji just 2 songs as against 48 sung by Ashaji for them apart from having her sing in their Bhojpuri film 'Dangal' (1977).Ditto Anu Malik, who gave only 16 songs to Lataji and 72 songs to Ashaji. This despite Lataji praising Anu on at least four occasions : once for Sandese Aate Hain (Border, 1997), Aisa Lagta Hai ( Refugee, 2000), title song ( Main Hoon Na, 2004) and Moh Moh Ke Dhaage ( Dum Lagake Hausa, 2015)Music directors like Iliyaraja and Adnan Sami have given only 5 and 1 songs respectively to Lataji as against numerous of their songs rendered by Ashaji. Both the sisters have sung for A.R.Rahman. However, he has never offered the Tamil version of his Hindi songs (sung by Lataji) to Lataji, which he has done for Ashaji.Lataji has not recorded any song with Alka Yagnik, Sadhna Sargam, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shaan, Lucky Ali or KK Ashaji has. In short, Asha Bhosle can do everything that Lata Mangeshkar does, but not vice versa.But she does not do remix/cover versions/plagiarized songs : She has done all. Only when others do it, she does not like (same as Asha Bhosle). She had brought out an entire album of cover versions of songs of her seniors and contemporaries named Shraddhanjali. And what was Maa Tujhe Salaam (1998) with Ranjit Barot, but a remix of Vande Matram. In 1996, she came up with an album called ‘Mere Watan Ke Logon’ which featured cover version of many a patriotic songs. She reproduced those songs with her nephew Adinath Mangeshkar.And what was ‘Inhi Logon Ne’ (‘Pakeezah’ 1972, recorded by 1956) but a cover version of Chudi Main Laya Anmol Re Le Lo Chudiyan Le Lo song from ‘Achhut Kanya (1936) sung by Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.In her own production she sang Yaara Sili Sili (Lekin, 1991). But is not it a copy of Reshma’s number (Vi Main Tere Naal Chori Chori Ankhan). In fact, in 1977 film Channi, she sang another copy of Reshma’s song under the Music Direction of her own brother. The song was Tumhi Ho Mere Apne.Another song of Lekin ‘Sunio Ji Araj Mhari’ was also a copy of her own Ghazal ‘Rone se aur Ishq Mein Bebak Ho Gaye’ from the Private Album ‘Lata sings Ghalib’ (1969).Earlier also she sang Ankhiyon Ko Rehne De ( Bobby, 1973) which is nothing but Hindi version of Reshma’s Ankhiyan Nu Rehn De. In fact, Lataji has the dubious distinction of being the first singer to have sung a plagiarized song in the form of Chhod Gaye Balam (Barsaat, 1949) which had its background music borrowed from Waves of the Danube (1880). In another song of Barsaat which goes Jiya Bekarar Hai and which was her first song for R.K. Banner, the opening music piece was lifted from the interlude music of Tere Naino Ne Chori Kiya sung by Suraiya in Pyar Ki Jeet (1948). She continued this legacy by singing Gore Gore O Banke Chhore ( Samadhi, 1950) which was the third plagiarized song of Hindi cinema. She furthered her copycat act by singing Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi ( Awara, 1951) and Thandi Hawayein (Naujawan, 1951) which were the 4th and 5th plagiarized songs of Bollywood.Her ‘Main Chup Rahungi’ (1962) song ‘Tumhi Ho Maata, Pita Tumhi Ho’ has its mukhda lifted from Tamizh song Amma Vum Neeye Appa Vum Neeye from Kalathur Kannamma (1960) while the antaras were borrowed from her own Mughal-e-Azam(1960) number Khuda Nigehbaan Ho Tumhara.And does not the small musical piece which follows words like ‘Pehli Nishani’ ‘Main Hoon Jiski Deewani’ in her Haaye Sharmaoon (Mera Gaon Mera Desh, 1971) is a carbon copy of mouth organ piece following Kishore Kumar’s vocals after words like ‘Pyar Ki Galiyan’ ‘Baaghon Ki Kaliyan’ in Mere Sapnon Ki Rani (Aradhana, 1969).Her ‘Kehta raho’ part of ‘Kehni Hain Do Baatein Tumse’ from Aapas Ki Baat (1982) sounds exactly like her own ‘Jawan Main Bhi Hoon’ part of ‘Wada Karo Nahin Chodoge Tum Mera Saath’ (Aa Gale Lag Ja, 1973).In the latter song too, while Kishore Kumar was able to sing the entire line under quote-unquote in single breath throughout, Lataji could sing similar line in one breath only twice.Her taan on the word ‘Maa’ when it comes in the sentence ‘Tu Jo Mujhe Maa Keh Ke Bulaaye’ in Zu Zu Zu Zu Zu ( Sanjog,1985)is what but her own alaap between second and third antara in Bhanwre Ne Khilaya Phool (Prem Rog, 1982) revisited.And does not her alaap in Bali Umar Ne Mera (Aawargi, 1990) sounds similar to her own alaap in Megha Re Megha Re ( Pyasa Sawan, 1981). Not only that the antaras reminds us of the antaras of Aayegi Zaroor Chitthi from Dulhan (1974) which was again her song. In the latter song Didiji made another diction mistake while singing ‘Phir’ as ‘Fir’ in the antara ‘Phir Pardesia’ the tune of which Anu Malik copied in ‘Ghoonghat Banaye Kitne’ (antara of Bali Umar Ne Mera).She corrected herself the second time.Similarly, her Vansh (1992) song ‘Yeh Bindiya, Yeh Kangana’ was a copy of Sadma (1983) song ‘O Babua, Yeh Mahua’.The the first part violin piece in her Dhiktana (HAHK,1994) sounds exactly like the accordion piece in Geeta Dutt’a Babuji Dheere Chalna (Aar Paar, 1954).In 1972, our Hindi film industry decided to borrow from Pakistani films. And do you know who was the first candidate to croon the Pakistani carbon copy song: Lata Mangeshkar again. The song was Baghon Mein Bahar Aayi from Mom Ki Gudiya.She has maintained this status quo till her latest song ‘Saugandh Mujhe Is Mitti Ki’ (2019) where the line ‘Yeh Desh Nahin Jhukne Doonga’ sounds like the line ‘Yeh Shehar Bada Purana Hai’ (her own song) in Maya Memsaab (1993).In 2009, amid much fanfare she sang ‘Daata Sun Le’ in the movie Jail. It was publicized that she has sung a jail song after 52 years. Her last song picturised on jail inmates was in Do Ankhein Barah Haath (1957). What was not publicized was that the song was not an original. The music in the line ‘Daata Sun Le Maula Sun Le’ is a copy of the music in the line ‘Kaisa Jadu Balam Tune Dara’ from 12 O’clock (1958) which was composed by O. P. Nayyar.In her non-film album Meera Sur Kabeera (2001), she has sung ‘Are Dil Are Man’ which sounds exactly like Dard-e-Dil Dard-e- Jigar.In early 2003, again under high publicity she sang a song for Nadeem-Shravan after a gap of 14 years. It was said that when the producers heard the melody, they felt it was made for Lataji. When the song was released in 2005 (Bewafa), I realized how it was tailor-made for Lataji. The music in the line ‘Kitna Pyar Hai’ is a copy of the music in the line ‘Dil Mein Aaya Hai’ from Lataji’s own ‘Shayad Meri Shadi Ka Khyal (Sautan, 1983). The alaaps she was made to render were similar to the one rendered by Alka Yagnik in ‘Pehli Pehli Baar Mohabbat Ki Hai’ (Sirf Tum, 1999) and ‘Dil Mera Tod Diya Usne’ (Kasoor, 2001), while the interlude music was similar to the one used in that of ‘Ankhein Khuli Ho Ya Ho Band’ (Mohabbatein, 2000).In her song ‘Kuch Na Kaho’ (1942 A Love Story) the opening music is taken from the Bangla song Rongila Rongila Rongila Re sung by S.D.Burman which was repeated in Geeta Dutt and Manna Dey song in Devdas (1955) going by Aan Milo Aan Milo Shyam Sanware Aan Milo.Is not her hummings in the first interlude of Tujhe Dekha To (DDLJ, 1995) similar to her own hummings at the end of Main Chali Main Chali (Padosan, 1968) and the opening santoor piece in the same song lifted from opening santoor piece in Rim Jhim Rim Jhim (1942 A Love Story).Her antara piece in Humko Haminse Chura Lo (Mohabbatein, 2000) is what but the interlude music between first and second antara of Tujhe Dekha To (DDLJ, 1995) revisited. And what about the opening music of Chhai Chhap Chhai ( Hu Tu Tu, 1999) which is borrowed from Oh Pretty Woman (1964).But she has never sung double meaningful songs/songs with vulgar lyrics : Is not ‘Buddha Mil Gaya’ (‘Sangam’ 1964) double meaningful, or for that matter ‘Shola Jo Bhadke’ with wordings like ‘Dard Jawaani Ka Sataye Badh Badh Ke’(‘Albela’, 1951). What about double entendre galore in ‘Hum Tum Ek Kamre Mein Band Hon’ (‘Bobby’, 1973) Is not ‘Jalta Hai Badan’ vulgar(Razia Sultan, 1983) with words like ‘Pyaas Bhadki Hai Sar-e-Shaam’. In other song ‘Khwab Bankar Koi Aayega’ she breaks all her self-barriers of decency and enters into Asha Bhosle zone of erotica and sensuousness with plenty of whispers and lustful words.Ditto Jiya Jale (‘Dil Se’, 1998). In ‘Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai’(1998) she sings ‘Choo Liya Tune Mujhko Saara Badan Jal Raha Hai’ in the song ‘Is Dil Mein Kya Hai’. In ‘Itna Lamba Kash Lo Yaaro’ song from ‘Hu Tu Tu’ (1999) she has gone on the extent of singing lines like ‘Tere Saath Guzari Raatein Garm Garm Si Lagti Hain’. In ‘Doori Na Rahe Koi’ song from ‘Karvatya’(1979) she renders line like ‘Doori Na Rahe Koi, Aaj Itne Kareeb Aao.Main Tujhme Sama Jaun,Tum Mujhme Sama Jao’. In ‘Tu Mere Saamne, Main Tere Saamne’ (‘Darr’, 1993) she croons ‘Ek Baar Nahin Sahu Baar Kar Le, Jee Bhar Ke Tu Mujhe Pyaar Kar Le’. Then we have of course ‘Jaagi Re Badan Mein Jwala’ (‘Izzat’ 1968). And how could she have sung ‘Julie Loves You’ (‘Julie’, 1975) with her male co-singer singing ‘Aisa Lage Badan Choo Ke Tera,Jaise Chingari Choo Li’. Those days song would be recorded with both the singers singing together. Then she says it all in ‘Thoda Sa Thehro’ (‘Victoria 203’, 1972): ‘Karti Hoon Tumse Vaada,Poora Hoga Tumhara Irada, Main Hoon Saari Ki Saari Tumhari, Phir Kahe Ko Jaldi Karo’. There is also ‘Na Jaan Kya Hua’ (‘Dard’ 1981) where she warbles ‘Jo Tune Choo Liya, Khila Gulab Ki Tarah Mera Badan’. And who does not remembers ‘Mujhme Samake Yeh Kya Kiya’ from the song ‘Tune O Rangile’(‘Kudrat’, 1981) or ‘Bahon Mein Chale Aao’ (‘Anamika’, 1972).She enters more deep into obscenity and vulgarity with her song ‘Mere Haathon Mein’(‘Chandni’, 1989) where she sings the following lines :‘Mere Darzi Se Aaj Meri Jung Ho Gayi.Kal Choli Silayi Aaj Tang Ho Gayi.’If this is the standard of lyrics of Lata Mangeshkar songs,what right she or we as her fans have got to criticise songs like ‘Kabhi Mere Saath Koi Raat Guzaar’(‘Bheege Honth Tere’ Murder, 2004).Music directors felt priviledged to have her sing their first song/in their first film : Not all. Roshan Lal Nagarth started his career with Neki Aur Badi (1949) with the female voices of Amirbai Karnataki, Rajkumari Dubey and Asha Bhosle. He tasted success with Baawre Nain (1950) in which he casted the voices of Rajkumari Dubey, Shamshad Begum, Geeta Dutt and Asha Bhosle.Similarly, Ravi Shankar Sharma made his debut with Vachan (1955) which had Asha Bhosle singing all the 8 songs (5 solos and 3 duets with Mohammed Rafi).Ramlal began his musical journey with Husn Banoo (1956) with the vocals of Asha Bhosle and Sudha Malhotra.Likewise, Usha Khanna started her successful career with Dil Deke Dekho (1959) with the vocals of Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.Ravindra Jain’s first released movie was Kanch Aur Heera (1972), which had voices of Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Usha Timothy, Hemlata and Chandrani Mukherjee.Bappi Lahiri began his Hindi film career with Nanha Shikari (1973) with the voices of Mukesh, Asha Bhosle,Kishore Kumar and Sushma Sreshtha.Nadeem-Shravan got their break with Bhojpuri film Dangal (1977) with the voices of Manna Dey, Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle and did not use Lataji’s vocals for the next 11 years and then again for the next 15 years!Anu Malik’s debut movie Hunterwali’ 77 released in the same year with the voices of Manna Dey, Asha Bhosle, Preeti Sagar and Jayant Kulkarni.In all the above instances Asha Bhosle is the common factor.But she made Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru teary eyed with her rendition of Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon. Yes, she did. But it was not her rendition alone which brought tears to Nehru’s eyes. For the record, she had sung before Nehru earlier too. Yes, it was on May 1, 1960. The occasion was foundation of Maharashtra and the song was Maharashtra Geet. Nehru’s eye did not well up that time. So how come it did well up on January 27, 1963. It was the occasion, it was the lyrics and not the voice per se which led to tears. Yes, the melancholy in her voice definitely helped create the overall impact, but again it was not only the voice.And Nehru had always been a lady’s man. On November 21, 1947, when the whole nation was engulfed in post-partition riots and influx of refugees, our army was busy fighting Pashtoon tribals in Kashmir since October 27, 1947,who had by that time captured the part which we call Pak Occupied Kashmir (POK) and the other part of Kashmir called Gilgit Agency and Gilgit Wazarat (which were 6 times bigger than POK) had been acceded to Pakistan on November 04, 1947after defection of Major William A. Brown and Subedar Babar Khan, within 9 days of its accession to India, found enough time to attend the premiere of Hindi movie Meera along with Jinnah admirer Sarojini Naidu, First Governor General of Independent India Lord Louis Mountbatten (even though Pakistan did not have a British Governor General ever, since this post was held by M.A.Jinnah and the question was why India needed a British Governor General) and (Nehru’s own) Edwina and Chakravarthy Rajagopalachari - a Hindi film with Madurai Shanmukhavdivu Subbulakshmi in the titular role. And amidst such gloomy and tense environment, he came up with such rosy, flowery, poetic words in praise of M.S. ‘Who am I, a mere Prime Minister, to speak about this Queen of Music, Queen of Songs!’ He repeated these words in 1955 as well.In 1955 (after committing blunders like telling the first Commander-in-chief of Indian Armed Forces that India did not need defence policy since India’s policy was non-violence, the army can be scrapped given that police was enough to take care of security, after reducing army strength from 2,80,000 to 1,50,000 in September 1947,after taking Kashmir dispute to UN, after going for ceasefire with Pakistan when our army was on a winning spree, after lying to Dr. Rajendra Prasad that Patel was not in favor of his candidature as President, after insertion of Article 370 in constitution, after downsizing the army by further 50,000 in 1951, after brushing aside Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa’s word of caution in 1951 of likely attack by China with snub like ‘it is not for the army to decide who the nation’s enemies would be’,after after denying probe into Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s custodial death, after bringing in rule 35 A, after giving Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai slogan on October 19, 1954) at the 2nd National Film Awards, our great Prime Minister has said the following to Suraiya after listening to her rendition of songs for Mirza Ghalib (1954) ‘Ladki ! tumne Mirza Ghalib ki rooh ko zinda kar diya.’ So you see. Our great Lataji was not the only one to have impressed Nehru, even though the question remains as to whether a person of Nehru’s reputation was worthy of making impression before.