'After Latadidi's departure, we have become orphans'

At the unveiling of a portrait of Lata Mangeshkar at the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Natyagriha in Vile Parle, north west Mumbai, Asha Bhosle, who was present at the venue, became emotional.

"Whenever I used to go anywhere, I used to take blessings from Didi," Ashaji tells Subhash K Jha.

"She used to tell me not to touch her feet, that her blessings are always with me, whether I seek it or not. 'Mai, Baba and I are always close to you,' Didi would say. Now after her departure, whose blessings should I take, whom should I tell my troubles?"

Recalling their childhood struggles, Ashaji says, "When we were very young, Baba left. After Mai's departure, Latadidi took care of us as a father. Today, after her departure, we have become orphans. I didn't think this would happen so soon, (I thought) she could live for some more years."

Lataji would always scoff at stories of rivalry between the two sisters.

She once told Subhash, "Let me make it very clear that we share a very good relationship. There is no stress. Whenever Asha has a show, she seeks my blessings first. I've heard her lyric book has my picture in it."

"My relationship with none of my siblings is troubled. I fulfill the function of the eldest with all my siblings. I am fortunate to have such siblings."

Elaborating further, she had added, "People say all kinds of things about our relationship. There's no fight between us. At a tender age, Asha left home and got married. She made a big name for herself. I'm very proud of her. I rate Asha very highly as an artiste and singer. She didn't become famous for nothing."

"She can sing every kind of song. Thank God she didn't adopt my style of singing. If she had, we'd have become competition for one another. She went on her own path. Yeh maanna padega ki woh bahut badi gayika hai (She is a great singer."

'We are sisters and have always been that. Whenever we meet, we meet with affection. The fights were because of her husband (Ganpatrao Bhosle, Ashaji's first husband), who was against me. Maybe he felt Asha didn't get work because of Lata," the legend recalled.

"He stopped her from coming to our house and he stopped us sisters from meeting. But then Asha and I started singing some duets together and would meet with warmth."