One of India’s most loved playback singers Asha Bhosle stole hearts of millions of music lovers with songs such as “Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko…” A voice, which could become one with lyrics, beats and rhythm, ruled Hindi cinema along with her sister Lata Mangeshkar.And like her legendary sister, Asha, who passed away on Sunday, was an institution unto herself. With 12,000 songs to her credit, in over 20 languages, she swooned generations, her voice always a breath of fresh air, epitomising possibly all conceivable moods of not just music but love and life itself.With songs such as “Aao huzoor tumko….”, she literally took us into a surreal expanse. Her voice, shining like stars, transported mortals into a world they can only dream of inhabiting. If versatility had a name, it would be Asha Bhosle, whose range was exemplary.If “Sabarmati ke sant”, ode to the Father of the Nation, was a patriotic number, the playfulness of lyrics echoed in “Bhanwra bada nadaan hai (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam). If one moment her voice had that enchanting seductive quality, it had that peppy trippy quality in numbers like “Dum maaro dum….”And then it could become poignantly soulful in ghazals. Today, it’s impossible to imagine the spell of Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan without her voice embellishing “Inn aankhon ki masti ke” or heartfelt “Justuju jiski thi”.Songs like “Monica o my darling”, echoing through the corridors of time, have inspired not only a film title but also composers of virtually every generation, the latest being Dhurandhar. More than one song of hers oozed oomph. “Piya tu ab to aaja…” with her late husband, the hugely gifted composer RD Burman — a musical partnership of nearly 25 years — gave us more than one song to die for, especially in movies like Ijaazat. Of course, composers like OP Nayyar and Ravi too played a significant role in shaping her trajectory in the early years.Each decade saw her belting out chartbusters which would go on to find a place in the annals of musical history. Born in a village of Sangli, Maharashtra, and daughter of Deenanath Mangeshkar, himself a classical singer, music obviously raced in her veins. For someone who began singing at age 10 with “Chala chala nav bala” for the Marathi movie Majha Bal (1943), ennui, however, never set in her eight-decade-long musical career. In 1995, for AR Rahman’s music, she rendered “Rangeela re” and in 2001, it was “Radha kaise na jale” from Lagaan — each song proving age was just a number. At 91, she sang with her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle in a track titled “Saiyaan bina”. Among her unforgettable compositions is a track she herself cherished: “Bow down mister” with Boy George.Those of us fortunate enough to have met her would remember the big flower adorning her hair, her impeccable sartorial choice and that winning smile. Onscreen, she may have lent voice to a sexy siren in many cabaret numbers and made a unique place for herself with her unconventional choices; in person, she epitomised grace, poise and genteel nature. In interview after interview, she would dismiss rumours of rivalry with her elder sister Lata.Unlike her, she may not have received the Bharat Ratna but the Padma Vibushan recipient, winner of two National Awards and 16 Maharashtra State Awards was no less a crown jewel of Indian singing.As she joins her equally illustrious — some might profess more — sister Lata in eternity, the singing sister duo will find not only a permanent place in cinematic history but one which will be impossible to replace. Of course, Asha will be remembered for that extra zing, the musical vibe, irrepressible “shararat” where songs acquire a life way beyond mortality of human life.It’s that immortality which makes listeners revisit and modern day composers reimagine her evergreen songs. Interestingly, in 2005 with Kronos Quartet’s “You’ve stolen my heart”, she herself revisited RD Burman’s compositions. Today, her fans might be humming wistfully “Abhi na jao chod ke….” Asha Bhonsle, the voice wrapped in sensual melody, remains forever and ever.