So, the other popular voice of the Mangeshkar family had gone silent.

Asha differed from her ‘didi’ Lata in many aspects.

First, the voice. Asha’s voice is unique; I haven’t come across any other voice of that tone, tenor, variety or uniqueness in any other voice. None can imitate Asha. That was her strength. Can you think of any other female singer who can desperately lament ‘Dekho woh aagaya’ of ‘Sapna mera toot gaya’ (Khel Khel mein) or breath heavily in ‘Piya tu ab to aaja’ (Caravan) both with RD Burman could completely transform into a soft romantic ‘Sara pyaar tumhara’ with Kishore in ‘Amanush’ in the music of Shyamal Mitra or a softly seductive ‘Yeh hai reshmi zulfon’ in ‘Mere Sanam’ in the music of her promoter OP Nayyar all with her unique voice and subtle expression?

Asha created a world of her own where none can enter, copy or imitate. She was just inimitable. I have heard many Hindi film music aficionados prefer Asha to Lata. The siblings had rarely sung a duet. Probably, the one which I had been listening in recent days ‘Saari sheher mein ek haseen hai’ (indeed a lovely song in the music of RD) from the utter flop ‘Alibaba and 40 Chor’.

To be honest and precise, none can either imitate Asha Bhonsle or replace her songs with their voices. For me, though I read some write-ups in later days that she was venturing something new, which didn’t reach me, or I have heard them. I know the Old Asha and simply love that Asha who had sung innumerable catchy numbers as solos and duets with many male voices, and well, above all, several immortal songs of OP Nayyar.

I cannot but hum ‘Jayiye aap kahan jayenge’ (Mere Sanam, 1965), her famous solo with a change in the lyrics instead of ‘yeh nazar lout ke phir aayegi’, ‘yeh awaaz lout ke phir aayegi’, your and our good old days of real and melodic film music always.

Rest in peace Ashaji!