Runa Laila mourns Lata Mangeshkar's demise: 'Shall cherish your blessings and love'

Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar breathed her last on Sunday owing to multiple organ failures while undergoing COVID-19 treatment at Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital. Famous Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila took to her Facebook account to pay tribute to the 'beautiful relationship' she developed with the legendary singer over the years.

Laila reminisced about some of the fond memories she shared with Mangeshkar as she bid her goodbye. The Bangladeshi singer also shared some timeless pictures of the duo together.

Runa Laila mourns Lata Mangeshkar's demise

Runa Laila recalled conversations she used to have with the 'Nightingale of India' over the phone and the time they spent laughing together. She mentioned Lata Didi had a 'great sense of humour' and would reply to her good morning messages with pictures of things she loved like flowers, children, videos of her music and much more. Laila mentioned that Lata Mangeshkar thought of her as a younger sister and she loved and respected her immensely.

"The voice that has inspired millions like me is now singing for the angels in heaven. Over the years we built up a beautiful relationship of love and mutual respect and above all we became friends. We exchanged messages on a daily basis.
Had long telephone conversations, talking about music in general. With her permission I even dared to send her jokes, which she enjoyed immensely. Didi had a great sense of humour and would tell me some of her experiences and we would have a good laugh. I loved listening to her. That honey dripping voice was music to my ears," Laila wrote in her Facebook post. 

Recalling the replies she used to receive from the legendary singer when she used to wish her good morning, Runa Laila continued, "In reply to my Good Morning messages to her she would send me pictures of things she loved, of flowers and children and audios and videos of her songs, most of which I had already heard and memorized and coming from her was an added bonus. Every year on my birthday she would send me a sari. (sic)"

Asserting that the greatest gift she received from Lata Mangeshkar was Lata herself, Runa Laila wrote, "This year she said since you are going to be in London I will send your gift once you come back to Dhaka. Didi the biggest gift you have given me is YOU. When we spoke last, just before I came to London, she told me that she liked talking to me and when we spoke she felt like I was a very close family member. She said I was her younger sister and that she loved me very much and respected my talent."

Take a look at Runa Laila's post here:

'I shall cherish your blessings and love till the end'

The Bangladeshi singer also mentioned that she was filled with a 'sense of desolation and emptiness' on hearing the news about Lata Mangeshkar's demise. Laila said that she had told Lata Didi that she would meet her once the situation improved, but 'that was not to be.' However, she was 'grateful' to Mangeshkar for everything she did for her and also thanked her for the blessing she gave her in her last voice message to her. 

"She said she missed me a lot and to come and see her soon so we could have long conversations in person. I said I would go and see her once the situation improved but that was not to be. I am filled with a sense of desolation and emptiness that will remain with me forever, that I won’t hear that lovely voice again, saying Runa ji Aap kaisi hain ? Didi you have given me and so many others so much, and I am grateful that you gave me more than so many. Thank you for the Aashirwaad you sent me in your last voice messages to me. I shall cherish your blessings and love till the end, Saraswati Maa….. My Didi……," Laila wrote.

(Image: @RunaLaila/Faceook)