By: Mohnish Singh
On the auspicious occasion of the Maharashtrian festival Gudi Padwa, legendary Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar launched a new album, titled Bhavartha Mauli.
The album has 10 devotional Marathi songs based on the works of the great saint and 13th-century poet Sant Dnyaneshwar who was the forerunner of the bhakti movement in Maharashtra and encouraged people to live a simple life and to avoid all the lavish living to attain God. All songs have been composed by the legendary singer’s brother Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
Hridaynath Mangeshkar reveals that the album was recorded by them more than 50 years ago. “It was recorded by Lata didi and me more than 50 years ago. They are now being presented embellished with a commentary by didi,” he said.
Speaking on the launch of this album, Lata Mangeshkar said, “It is an absolute honour and a privilege that I am able to present the poetic works of the great saint and poet Sant Dnyaneshwar to this generation. Through this album called Bhavartha Mauli, my brother Hridaynath and I have made a humble attempt to introduce each of these poems by a commentary explaining and unravelling the spirituality and essence of the poetry. I hope the audience has the same beautiful spiritual experience listening to these beautiful compositions just as we have had in bringing them to you.”
The 91-year-old singer, who has recorded songs in over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional Indian languages and foreign languages, was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2001. She is only the second vocalist, after M. S. Subbulakshmi, to receive the honour. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
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