The Late Lata Mangeshkar Chose To Remain Unmarried, And Agreed To Kiran Rao’s Views On It
I feel like one of the biggest and most heartbreaking news we as a country received over the weekend was the demise of the beloved Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar. Her voice and songs were a part of so many Indian’s childhoods and she made a mark on the world with her soulful voice. However, I also look up to her as a woman for going against the grid and remaining unmarried at a time when women choosing to stay unmarried was a taboo (it still is but there is a little more open-mindedness about it now). However, in a 2013 interview, Lata Mangeshkar talked about her choice to remain unmarried, love and self-fulfilment.
When asked about the role love plays in her life and if there was a man in her life, the veteran singer responded by saying that there are certain things only for the heart to know and that she would prefer to keep it that way. Further on in the interview, she was asked about her opinion on people’s notion that a woman is incomplete unless she is married or has children. She dismissed those opinions saying that people will talk whatever they want to and it is better to learn to ignore them as it will be hard to lead a happy life. She then said that energies that are depressing and negative should be kept away and that’s what she personally has always done. Amen to that!
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Also Read: Remembering Lata Mangeshkar, A Woman Of Grit And Determination Who Made Her Mark In A Male-Dominated Music Industry
Lata Mangeshkar then referred to an interview given by director Kiran Rao where she had addressed the same topic. She said that Kiran Rao has spoken about the topic very beautifully. “It’s important to first find happiness and a sense of fulfilment within yourself, else the dream of being fulfilled only through marriage or children loses its significance,” said Lata Mangeshkar, according to sources.
Honestly, I was raised by my Nani who I consider to be very ahead of her times as she was a divorcee who raised a daughter single-handedly. Because of that, I grew up having a lot of respect for women like Lata Mangeshkar because I know how hard it is to go against the grid in a patriarchal society and hold your own. Rest In Peace, Nightingale, you will be missed.
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