Surprise Visitors At The  Mangeshkars For Ganesh Chaturthi

Every year without without fail, the Mangeshkars on Peddar Road in Mumbai receive one group of  guests: the entire team of the infinite television show CID.

Everyone knows  CID is Lataji’s favourite television show. And every year during this festive season she welcomes the entire cast and crew of the serial for prayers and the very famous mirchi pakoda that’s served at the Mangeshkar home.

Says Lataji, “Yes, this  year too the CID team came , like they do every year.And we look forward to having  them home each year. They are most welcome. I am an avid CID fan.And I look forward to having them so I can talk to them about what will happen on the show in the coming weeks.”

This year Lataji’s family had a surprise visit  from Shradha Kapoor’s family who are related to the Mangeshkars.

Says Lataji fondly,  “They all came. Shradha , her mother Shivangi and brother Siddhant. Shradha’s two aunts Padmini and  Tejaswini …It was such a pleasure to meet them. I’ve known Shradha from the time she was a baby. I am glad she has not changed one  bit after becoming a  star.She is  still a homely warm affectionate caring girl.I’ve seen  her films.She’s a  natural. Mazey ki baat yeh hai kiwoh gaati bhi hai aur sur mein(she sings and in tune).”

However Ganesh Chaturthi at  the Mangeshkars this year was a very subdued otherwise.

Says Lataji, “The rain gods played havoc.And we lost a very bright and  good doctor Deepak Amrpukar in a freak accident. He was known to our family and this young goodhearted doctor’s sudden death  in the waterlogging stunned us. We were in no mood for festivities. Apparently the doctor was  stuck in his car in the water. He decided to walk down as his home was nearby, fell into a manhole and died.What can we say about this death?”

The Melody Queen recalls how in the 2005 deluge  in Mumbai her brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar  was stuck  in the water. “The water had entered the car and was increasing. He  wouldn’t  be alive today if  my driver Mahesh had not gone on  a motocycle  and rescued him.Nature is trying to  warn us.And we better listen.”