Lata Mangeshkar’s Memories of Raksha Bandhan and Her Brother

The narrative focuses on Lata Mangeshkar’s special bond with her brother, Hridaynath, and her fondness for songs related to Raksha Bandhan. The author shares how he used to playfully question Lataji about being her favorite brother. She always replied, with a laugh, that Hridaynath was her first love. While she wasn’t a fan of listening to her own songs, she held a special place in her heart for her Raksha Bandhan songs. She appreciated ‘Rang birangi rakhi lekar aye behna’ because Madan Mohan, the composer, was her Rakhi brother. She also loved ‘Phoolon ka taaron ka sabka kehna hai ek hazaaron mein meri behna hai,’ noting the challenge of singing as a little boy, despite being a grown woman. The song ‘Bhaiya mere rakhi ke bandhan ko nibhana’ was another favorite. The author’s most beloved Raksha Bandhan song by her was ‘Chanda re mere bhaiyya se kehna behna yaad kare,’ attributing its emotional depth to the feeling of separation from her brother, Hridaynath.