Asha Bhosle’s ‘Swarseva’ for Gajanan Maharaj Temple remembered

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Following the demise of veteran singer Asha Bhosle, the city has been revisiting her deeply cherished association with the Sant Shri Gajanan Maharaj Temple in Garkheda. On January 2, 1987, she dedicated her “swarseva” for the construction of the temple, leaving behind a legacy etched in the city’s cultural memory.

Expressing grief, Dr Praveen Vakte, president of the Shri Gajanan Maharaj Trust, recalled that during the 1980s, the temple construction was undertaken with great devotion, with several eminent artists contributing through performances. The most memorable among them was the grand ‘Kishore–Asha–R.D. Sangeet Rajani’, featuring Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle and Rahul Dev Burman. The musical evening was held on January 2, 1987, at Yashwant Stadium, organised by the Marathwada Cultural Mandal. The proceeds from the programme significantly supported the temple’s construction. The Shri Gajanan Maharaj Temple Trust, devotees and citizens paid heartfelt tributes to Asha Bhosle for her selfless and generous contribution to one of the city’s prominent temples.