Veteran singer Asha Bhosle, who established herself as a legend with her melodious voice, passed away on April 12. The singer was born in 1933 into a music-oriented family. She started singing professionally at the age of 9.
An iconic playback singer for hundreds of Bollywood movies, her demise marks the end of an era in Indian music. The singer defined Hindi cinema, acting as a strong pillar. She recorded over 12000 songs in multiple Indian languages, denoting her extraordinary versatility, range, and enduring contribution to Indian music across generations and languages. Her illustrious career spanned over eight decades.
On Saturday, Asha Bhosle was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Saturday due to extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. On this tragic occasion, let’s revisit one of her quotes that showcases her dedication to her craft and how she will forever live on in people’s hearts through her music.
“Sangeet ek aisi kala hai jo janam janam tak apne saath chalti hai, kyunki hum usko itni mehnat se usko pakad ke rakhte hain, aavaj ko yeh aur iska pooja hi karte hain, toh ek ek cheez hai jo humare saath chalti hai, shareer yahi reh jata hai lekin aavaj zaroor jaati hai, [Music is such an art that stays with you across lifetimes, because we hold on to it with so much hard work. We worship the voice and everything connected to it, so it is something that continues with us. The body remains here, but the voice certainly lives on.]” she said.
What does Asha Bhosle’s quote mean?
The quote is surreal and goosebumps-inducing. It frames the art form of music as something eternal, something that outlives the physical, mortal body. The singer in the interaction in the clip reminisced that when so much dedication and hard work go into it, one becomes utterly devoted to the craft and worships the voice, lending it a timeless quality. The art form stays with you forever, transcending this realm and following you into the beyond.
And indeed, her music has touched generations after generations and will continue to do so even after her passing. At the news of her death, with fans grieving across the country and the world, the quote offers a sense of hope and reassurance, based on the singer’s own belief that an artist does not truly ‘die’ and continues to live on through their art.
What does Asha Bhosle’s message teach us about art?
Any art form, be it music, dance or any other creative expression, has the inherent ability to attain permanence and a kind of immortality. Once one puts in consistent hard work and dedication, the art begins to feel deeply personal, almost sacred, and you begin to ‘worship’ the craft with your devotion. It is no longer something external to your being; instead, you become one with it.
When you hone and master an art form over time, it becomes your voice, identity and expression. This way, even when the artist is gone, the art carries their stories and memories forward.
What legendary singer Asha Bhosle’s messages teach us is to value art, not as a skill or something to perform, but something to offer your devotion to. It resembles an emotional surrender, a lifelong spiritual relationship rather than just the performance-oriented connection of art and artist. This way, art becomes eternal, preserving the stories of the artist forever.
Internalising this mindset will help you grow as an artist and master your art form.
