Asha Bhosle was not just a remarkable singer, she was a woman of many talents. She was a gifted storyteller and an engaging conversationalist. She also found joy in cooking and loved to cook for her friends.“If Asha ji cooked for you it meant she liked you,” said filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “She was so full of life, it’s hard to imagine that she is gone. It seems just the other day when she had come to my office. She asked for two spoonsful of sugar, saying, ‘Main toh sab kuch khati hoon, mast hoke jeeti hoon.’ She was so full of life.”The legendary singer passed away in Mumbai on Sunday at the age of 92, marking the end of an era in Indian music.Her contribution to the world of playback singing transcends scholarly analysis. She sang everything with the conviction of one who had experienced every emotion of life.She was open to life’s toughest challenges and came out a winner. At the age of 16, she eloped with 31-year-old Ganpatrao Bhosle, marrying him against her family’s wishes. The marriage was a disaster.Asha ji once told me, “It was a tough life. I was out on the streets with three little children. Singing opportunities were limited. Didi ruled the playback world. I got few random songs. Jo bhi mila maine gaya…. You know the song I sang for Nayyar saab (OP) — Chayan se humko kabhi aapne jeene na diya…that’s the song of my life.”Later, she married composer R D Burman. Thereafter Asha Bhosle’s career reached an unparalleled zenith. She was also a proud restaurateur, owning a worldwide chain of eateries.“Mujhe gana, phir khana bahot pasand hai. Bas donon mujhe Bhagwan ne de diya. Aur kya chahiye?” Asha ji once told me.Asha ji was humble to the core, despite her achievements. “My son recently asked me why I spoke to everyone, from the watchman to the guy who does our laundry. He said, ‘Do you know who you are?’ You’re Asha Bhosle. And you must maintain a distance from people.’ I disagreed with that. I like to see myself as a simple person.”Recalling the days of struggle, Asha ji had said once, “When there was already a Taj Mahal, I tried to build another one. Bahut mushqil thi. Who would want to go to another singer when there was already a Lata Mangeshkar? On top of that, I was her younger sister. Hamesha humein ek tarazu mein tola gaya.Janam bhar hum ussi tarazu mein baithe rahe. I still haven’t escaped such comparisons. Didi and I had to be different. Copying her would have meant the end of my career. No one would have entertained a copy of Didi. So, I had to cultivate the Western style of singing. I had no choice. I had to do any kind of song that was offered to me.”Asha ji attributed her resilience to her honesty. “I am like glass. You can see right through me. I also refuse to cling to negativity. I like to move on. I am blessed because I get so much respect both in India and abroad. No one has ever misbehaved with me in public. I think this world is beautiful. Not that I’ve forgotten any of the pain that I’ve gone through. It’s there, all stored away. I am the soldier who has taken wounds on my chest. I am proud of them. Today I am happy and at peace. No regrets. God gave me endurance power and because of Him I am still standing tall today. Main Bhagwan ki laadli hoon.”In addition, Asha ji had to fight off the image of singing naughty number. “People during those days considered cabaret and dance numbers to be very lowly. Anyway, I managed. On second thoughts, maine nahin kuch kiya, hota gaya. God was kind…And here I am. People think I’ve achieved a lot. Mujhe kuch nahin lagta. People run after fame. But these are so temporal. If I stop singing for a year, everyone would forget me. The public memory is very short. I never get carried away by fame and recognition. I would rather give my attention to my family.”Ashaji’s immaculate appearance, eye-catching sarees and jewellery were the talk of the town.She once told me, “People love to see me looking glamorous. They say I don’t look my age. I say, well that’s wonderful, but I am 90. I dress up in elaborate sarees and jewellery. When they see me on the road without the finery they say, ‘You look good on television and even better in real life.’ The public image is different from real life. In real life I am like any middleclass woman. I love to look after my kids and cook for them. Jewellery is only for the public eye. At home I am myself.”Speaking on new generations of singers Asha ji pondered, “The world has moved on. Earlier, the female singer sang at a high pitch and the male singer at a low pitch. Now that has been reversed. There’s no time for slow, soft sentimental songs. No point in clinging to the past. Rhythm ka zamana hai. No one listens to the words. You can’t stop the world from moving on. If you try you’ll get left behind. People at my age are retired. I am still singing. The language isn’t of primary importance as long as I sing something that I and my fans are satisfied with.”She was enthused by food as much as music and was proud of her growing chain of restaurants. “In my opinion khaana comes first, gaana later. I love to feed people. I started cooking for my children. When I became good at it, my son suggested that I write a cookery book. But I refused. But my son wanted to take his mother’s food to the people. That’s how the first restaurant came about. Now, we have 10 restaurants in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, etc.”Asha ji personally supervised the menu at these restaurants. “I not only put my own recipes on the menu, but also recipes that I have learnt from my colleagues. For examples, there is this Sultanpuri Kebab. I got the recipe from the poet-lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri saab. The restaurants are dotted with my pics with Lata Didi and others who figure in my life. I couldn’t have hoped for a better life.”Her vibrant voice may have fallen silent, but Asha Bhosle’s legacy will continue to resonate through her timeless songs.