Why did Lata Mangeshkar decide to never return to her birthplace Indore?

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Image: Getty Images

The country is together mourning the passing away of Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar. The singing legend breathed her last on Sunday at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital. A golden era of music came to an end with her, even though her thousands of songs will continue to rule the hearts of every Indian.

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The 92-year-old singer was born in Indore, Central Province of the pre-independence India (now Madhya Pradesh), on September 28, 1929, at a house in Indore’s Sikh Mohalla area. Indore was not only her birthplace but the city where she grew up and a city that was very close to her heart. Lata Mangeshkar’s relatives continue to live here even today, including her granddaughter, Divya Pragat.

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An old video of Lata Mangeshkar speaking of her sweet memories in Indore was doing rounds on social media, soon after her death on Sunday. In the video, Mangeshkar spoke of frequently visiting Indore with her family. She also shared that every time she would visit Indore, she would go to the famous night street food, Sarafa Bazar.

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Despite her love for the city, Lata Mangeshkar one day decided to never return to Indore. Her granddaughter Divya reportedly said that the decision of not coming to Indore was taken by Mangeshkar when she was in Indore for a function. A few years ago, Mangeshkar had come to attend a programme in Indore as a guest. However, some protest broke at the programme, after which she said that she will never return here again. And true to that, Indore lost its daughter on Sunday, and will never have the honour to host her again.

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The last rites of Lata Mangeshkar were held at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had come to pay tributes to the singer. Many other dignitaries and celebrities including Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan and others were present during her funeral.