VARANASI: Famous singer and wife of ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh, Chitra Singh was choked with emotions and couldn't perform at the Sankat Mochan Music Festival in Varanasi on Saturday evening.
Chitra Singh, over 75, took the stage but failed to gather her elements and ruled out singing. "I am overwhelmed with the love and affection being showered on me here but I will not be able to sing," she said, her voice shaking with emotion.
It came as a big disappointment for hundreds of her fans who had crammed the premises of Sankat Mochan temple for the annual music festival on Saturday, when she was scheduled to perform.
Chitra Singh appeared frail and had to make a lot of effort to even speak on stage. So despite her willingness to break the 26-year hiatus, the artiste was overcome with a tsunami of emotions.
She had quit singing in 1991 when her only son Vivek passed away in a tragic accident. Since then she has also lost her daughter, and her biggest pillar of support – Jagjit.
However, earlier in the day she paid obeisance at Lord Hanuman at Sankat Mochan temple seeking divine intervention for a Bharat Ratna to her late husband.
“She arrived in the holy city on Friday afternoon and had to perform at the temple after a gap of 26 years on the inaugural day of the annual music and dance festival,” said Vishwambhar Nath Mishra, Mahant of the Sankat Mochan Temple, and added that she has promised to sing next year.
Chitra Singh presented a set of DVDs of Jagjit Singh’s choicest ghazals to Prof Mishra . Though she avoided the media, she shared her desire to see the government confer the Bharat Ratna on Jagjit Singh in her life time.
Jagjit Singh was honoured with the Padma Bhusahn in 2003 by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “She is here in Varanasi and that too in Hanuman Durbar. Inke liye hum Hanuman durbar mein arji lagayenge kin Jagjit ji ko Bharat Ratna mile. (We shall pray to Lord Hanuman on her behalf that her wish is fulfilled),” said Mishra.