Untold stories of Asha Bhosle and her connection with Indore—Madhya Pradesh
Legendary singer Asha Bhosle shared a deep and emotional bond with Madhya Pradesh. Her childhood was spent in the Murai locality of the Cantonment area in Indore. She would often fondly recount the memories of her early life. The culture and atmosphere of Indore left a profound impact on her personality.
Asha was extremely fond of rotis made from Sehore’s 'Sharbati' wheat and would frequently have the grain shipped to her from Indore. She held a special affection for the culinary delights of Indore; she particularly loved the Gulab Jamuns, Rabri, and Dahi Vadas found in the city's famous Sarrafa food street. As a child, she used to frequent the Sarrafa Chaupati.
Few people know that during her early days of struggle—when opportunities in playback singing were scarce—she did not hesitate to take up odd jobs to support her family financially. She often used to say that a true artist is one who never forgets their roots.
Passion for cooking
Apart from singing, Asha Bhosle has a tremendous passion for cooking. She herself has admitted that had she not become a singer, she would have been a cook. Today, a successful restaurant chain named ‘Asha’s’ operates under her name in several countries, including Dubai, UK and Kuwait. Interestingly, she personally devised the recipes for many of the dishes.
Today, Asha's is known as one of the most recognised Indian restaurant brands abroad, with several outlets earning culinary accolades over time.
Did not receive good treatment from her husband
At the tender age of just 16, Asha Bhosle fell in love with her elder sister Lata's secretary, Ganpatrao Bhosle. Ganpatrao was 15 years her senior. Knowing that her family would not accept this relationship, Asha ran away from home at the age of 16 and married Ganpatrao. This decision brought her more suffering than happiness. After the marriage, she did not receive good treatment from her husband or her in-laws. As time passed, the bitterness within the relationship only deepened.
Filled with suspicion and tension, this relationship crumbled after just a few years. Ganpatrao threw her out of the house. At that time, Asha had two children and was expecting her third. Out of sheer necessity, she was compelled to return to her maternal home. The couple separated in 1960.
Asha married music director R.D. Burman in 1980. R.D. Burman passed away in 1994, 14 years after their marriage. Asha was left alone once again.
For Asha Ji, the greatest challenge was to prove herself amidst the 'ideal' image of her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar. She deftly infused her voice with a Western touch and modulation, a quality that set her apart from others. Just when people assumed she was capable of singing only cabaret numbers, she proved her vocal prowess by rendering the ghazals of Umrao Jaan.
Son passed away due to cancer, daughter died of suicide
Asha Bhosle and Ganpatrao had three children. Their eldest son, Hemant Bhosle, initially worked as a pilot but later ventured into the world of music. He delivered several memorable songs, although his singing career was short-lived. He passed away in 2015 due to cancer.
Asha's daughter, Varsha Bhosle, was a renowned columnist. Following her divorce, she died of suicide in 2012 at the age of 56 by shooting herself. Asha Bhosle faced one of the most devastating losses of her life with Varsha’s death. Her youngest son, Anand Bhosle, studied business and film direction; he was the one who managed his mother's career.
Asha Bhosle: The Queen of Records
Asha Bhosle's name is enshrined in the Guinness Book of World Records. She has sung over 11,000 songs across more than 20 Indian languages. Such is the range of her voice that she sounds equally at ease in every genre—from classical music to pop and ghazals. This is precisely why people of all ages were captivated by her songs and her voice.
Asha Bhosle was honoured with prestigious awards, including the Padma Vibhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and the National Lata Mangeshkar Award. She was also recognised by Guinness World Records as the singer with the most recorded songs.