US, April 15 -- For some reason, the news of the passing away of Asha Bhosle hit me much harder than the news of the death of her sister, the Melody Queen Lata Mangeshkar, a few years ago. The reason is probably due to the goddess-like image of Lata in our minds. It was as if, when she passed, she simply made her expected divine journey to be with the other goddesses in heaven.

Asha was real. She was like one of us, the common people. She lent her voice to everyone to express their every emotion, from passion, grief, devotion, to just inane jubilation. When Lata declined to sing songs that were "inappropriate" for her image, such as songs accompanying cabaret dances, voices expressing extreme passion, Qawwalis, songs depicting controvers...