Jaisalmer: In 1990 the Queen of Melody Lata Mangeshkar spent more than two weeks in Jaisalmer during the shooting of the film Mekin where he was a producer.
More than three decades after he lived, the locals clearly remember his love for local cuisine and architecture.
Famous historians and Litterateur Nand Kishore Sharma said that in 1988 Lata along with two of his sisters Usha and Asha Bhosle came to Jaisalmer in finding a beautiful location.
“He was very impressed with the dunes and art and local culture and he decided to shoot his film Lekin and he returned in 1990 as a state guest for filming the film,” he said.
The three sisters had visited all tourist attractions in Jaisalmer and spent big time at Maru Sanskritik Kendra, a museum.
“He showed a lot of interest in traditional musical instruments and listened to folk songs for hours in the museum,” Sharma said.
Then the sisters invited local Manganyar artists and for two days, repeatedly heard they played the folk song ‘Balam’.
“For two days, we continue to do folk songs for them.
The variation of the song was also used in films by his brother Hridyanath Mangeshkar, who was the director of music,” said the famous Manganylar artist Hassan Khan.
He remembered as a woman who was simple and down to earth.
“Even though he offered boarding as a state bungalow, he chose to stay at the hotel when the film unit lived,” said Girdhar Malhotra, a personal hotel manager where he lived.
He became a big fan of Rajasthan which was delicious and he loved Bajre Ka Sogra, Ker Sangri and Gatte Ki Sabji.
He was very impressed with art and culture, stone carvings, havelelis.