Like many people in India and around the world, I have been listening to some of the songs of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar and admiring the soul stirring qualities in her voice as my tribute to her life in singing.
She lived a life of fulfillment, one where she had not only accumulated success and great honors for herself through her career but rather touched millions of lives. Her name and legacy will be carried for a long time especially whenever anyone listens to one of the songs to which she lent her beautiful voice.
I saw a past interview of hers where she was talking about her gift. 75% she claimed was the blessings of nature on her voice and the balance 25% was her discipline to regularly practice and put the efforts.
Looking at just the numbers, singing more than 30,000 songs and in more than 30 languages, many of them super-duper hits, one would say she was a great success. Yet, I wonder with awe at what all she went through when she started her career and what it took to become this legend.
Before getting her first break to record a song in the Indian film industry, what motivated her to cast away the doubts of the mind or the pressure and need to earn a living by complying with expectations?
Rather than taking the rejection of her “thin” voice to heart, what allowed her to reject rejection and focus on her strengths and adding skills to hone her craft?
When someone pointed out to her incorrect accent in speaking Urdu, what made her to embrace it to learn the nuances of the language for hours so she could better the pronunciation?
As she didn’t pay heed to the counsel of not to indulge in eateries like pickle and curd which could be bad for her throat, what helped her to remind herself of the advice given by her father to focus primarily on making the maximum use of her throat though singing and still enjoy life.
One cannot change the gift which nature bestows on us. I guess, our part is to put our effort, like Lata Mangeshkar did.
When a wise man was asked how he became a Master, he simply replied, it is by doing!
With continuous learning, being courageous and doing the thing one is passionate about, in her case singing, she showed how to live life fully especially in our careers. I think this is what makes a Legend.
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