Himanta recalls Lata Mangeshkar’s Assamese musical legacy on her birth anniversary
Himanta Biswa Sarma remembered Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary and recalled her first Assamese song with Bhupen Hazarika. He said their music and her remark on "Aai" reflected a lasting cultural link between Assam and Maharashtra.
- Sep 28, 2026,
- Updated Sep 28, 2026, 11:18 AM IST
- Sarma cited "Jonakore Rati, Asomire Maati" as her first Assamese song
- Bhupen Hazarika composed it for the 1956 Assamese film Era Bator Xur
- He said the track remains embedded in Assam’s collective musical memory
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on September 28 remembered legendary playback singer Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary, highlighting her musical association with Bharat Ratna awardee Dr Bhupen Hazarika.
In a post on X, Sarma recalled Mangeshkar’s first Assamese song, “Jonakore Rati, Asomire Maati”, composed by Hazarika for the 1956 Assamese film Era Bator Xur.
He said the song had become an enduring part of Assam’s musical memory and noted that the musical association between Mangeshkar and Hazarika continued for decades.
Sarma also referred to Mangeshkar’s observation about the word “Aai”, which means mother in both Marathi and Assamese. He described the shared expression as a cultural connection between Assam and Maharashtra.
“As Assam celebrates #BhupenDaAt100, remembering two musical legends whose voices created a timeless bridge between Assam and Maharashtra,” Sarma wrote.
The Chief Minister also shared a link to Mangeshkar’s rendition of “Jonakore Rati, Asomire Maati” in his post.
