Lata Mangeshkar’s Beloved Brother and Her Raksha Bandhan Musical Legacy

The article delves into Lata Mangeshkar’s affectionate relationship with her brother, Hridaynath, and her affection for Raksha Bandhan songs. The author recounts how he would playfully ask Lataji if he was her favorite brother. She always responded with a smile, naming Hridaynath first. Lata Mangeshkar wasn’t particularly fond of listening to her own songs, but she made an exception for her Raksha Bandhan compositions. ‘Rang birangi rakhi lekar aye behna’ was special as its composer was her rakhi brother. She also loved the song ‘Phoolon ka taaron ka sabka kehna hai ek hazaaron mein meri behna hai,’ and the emotion it invoked. The song ‘Bhaiya mere rakhi ke bandhan ko nibhana’ was another favourite. The author’s most cherished Raksha Bandhan song by her was ‘Chanda re mere bhaiyya se kehna behna yaad kare,’ which she said came from imagining the absence of her brother Hridaynath on the festival.