Maharashtra CM Mourns Asha Bhosle: "Her Voice Was the Soul of Music"

Speaking in Nagpur, Fadnavis said the passing of Bhosle marks another irreparable loss for the iconic Mangeshkar family, following the demise of her sister, Lata Mangeshkar.

"This is a moment of grief for music enthusiasts across India and the entire world. She was known as the most versatile artist. Her service to music, the service to music by the Mangeshkar family--we saw the demise of Lata didi, and today we see this. We are all sad... This is a great loss to all of us; we stand with the bereaved family," he said.

In a post on X, Fadnavis further paid an emotional tribute, describing Asha Bhosle as a "star of the Mangeshkar lineage" and calling her voice the "soul of music".

"With her demise, another star has fallen from the Mangeshkar lineage after Lata Didi. The beautiful garden of melodies has turned barren today. Asha Tai's voice was the soul of music. Asha Tai was the eternal verdant season in singing and an oceanic expanse of melodious emotions," the post read.

He highlighted her extraordinary versatility, noting her contributions across genres, including devotional songs, classical music, ghazals, folk, pop, and film music in multiple languages.

Fadnavis also recalled a personal interaction with the singer at a World Radio Day event, describing her wit and warmth during their meeting, adding that her loss is "unbearable" for fans and the music fraternity.

"From soulful songs like 'Tora Man Darpan Kahlaaye' to tracks like 'Khallas,' she effortlessly sang songs across countless moods, imprinting her unique mark on genres ranging from devotional songs, emotional melodies, theatrical music, ghazals, classical music, Rabindra Sangeet, folk songs, to pop. Singing over 12,000 songs in Marathi, Hindi, Bengali, along with 20 Indian languages and foreign tongues, she was also conferred awards like the 'Bangla Vibhushan' akin to the 'Maharashtra Bhushan.' Such a multifaceted singer, who so effortlessly embraced change, will not come again," the further read.

"Just recently, at a World Radio Day event where we were together, she insisted I sing 'Abhi Na Jaao Chhodkar...' for her, and had even quipped, 'Look, I got the Chief Minister to sing for me.' The very thought that we will no longer have Ashatai's company is unbearable. I offer my heartfelt tribute to her. We share in the grief of her family and the countless fans across the country," the post added.

Legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92, marking the end of an era in Indian music.

She died at Breach Candy Hospital, where she had been admitted on Saturday evening following extreme exhaustion and a chest infection.

Confirming the cause of death, Dr Pratit Samdani said, "Asha Bhosle breathed her last today in Breach Candy Hospital. She passed away due to multi-organ failure."

Her son, Anand Bhosle, confirmed the news and shared details of the final rites, saying, "My mother passed away today. People can pay their last respects to her at 11 am tomorrow at Casa Grande, Lower Parel, where she lived. Her last rites will be performed at 4 pm tomorrow at Shivaji Park."

Born in 1933, Asha Bhosle began her musical journey at a young age and rose to prominence in the 1950s. Over her career spanning decades, she recorded thousands of songs across multiple Indian languages, ranging from classical and ghazals to cabaret, pop, and folk.

Her passing marks the end of an era in Indian music history.

- ANI