This piece explores Lata Mangeshkar’s emotional attachment to Raksha Bandhan and the songs associated with the festival. The author recollects his interactions with Lataji, specifically asking her about her favorite brother. She always mentioned Hridaynath first, a testament to their close relationship. While Lataji was critical of her own songs, she cherished the ones she sang for Raksha Bandhan. ‘Rang birangi rakhi lekar aye behna’ was special because of her bond with Madan Mohan. She also expressed her fondness for ‘Phoolon ka taaron ka sabka kehna hai ek hazaaron mein meri behna hai,’ and the depth of her expression while singing it. The song ‘Bhaiya mere rakhi ke bandhan ko nibhana’ also resonated with her. The author’s favorite song, ‘Chanda re mere bhaiyya se kehna behna yaad kare,’ was deeply moving for Lataji, and she admitted that she channeled her feelings for her brother, Hridaynath, to express the song’s emotions.
