When Bappi Lahiri revealed how gold jewellery was lucky for his career
India Today
Bappi Lahiri passed away on Tuesday, February 15, at a Mumbai hospital. Gold jewellery was an inevitable part of his identity and lucky for his career.
Singer-composer Bappi Lahiri passed away on Tuesday, February 15, at a Mumbai hospital. He was 69.
In his career that spanned over several decades, he provided vocals to many unforgettable songs such as I Am A Disco Dancer, Yaar Bina Chain Kahan Re, Tamma Tamma Loge, Ooh La La among others. He composed music for several films like Sharaabi, Disco Dancer and Chalte Chalte.
Bappi Lahiri was also famous for his signature style. He loved his gold jewellery and was always decked in gobs of it. From layered chains to bracelets and rings, gold jewellery was an inevitable part of his identity. In an old interview, Bappi Lahiri said that gold was lucky for him and even credited his success to his jewellery. He said that his mother gave him a gold chain with Hare Rama Hare Krishna locket, after which he got his first blockbuster. He also revealed that it was his mother who said that gold would be lucky for him.
“My mother gave me a gold chain with a Hare Rama Hare Krishna locket in it. I got Zakhmi - my first blockbuster. When my mother put on the chain for me, she had told me it would be lucky for me. More gold chains followed with more box-office successes. I have always got gold from my family. After my mother, it was my wife Chitrani who gifted me another gold chain with a big Ganpati locket on it, on my birthday, in 1977. This was following the super successful box-office runs of Aapki Ki Khatir and Bambai Ae Aa Mera Dost," he said.
He also revealed that a lot of his gold chains had God lockets. Wearing those gold chains was his way of carrying God with him, he had said.
“I have as many as seven chains and the Ganpati has brought a big change in my life. I am a big follower of Siddhivinayak and Lalbagcha Raja. One day I had a dream where I was asked to wear a Ganpati on my chest. Soon after, I was in the Guinness Book Of World Records for my musical accomplishment. Three years ago, my daughter Reema gifted me a big gold chain on my birthday with a Maa Saraswati locket on it. No matter where I travel, some gold jewellery always travels with me. My gold jewellery is so heavy that I can't carry all of it with me abroad. I always want to carry God with me. I have never weighed my gold jewellery. On every chain, God is there, so I have never weighed any of my jewellery,” he added.
Bappi Lahiri’s sudden demise has left the entire nation in a state of mourning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute on Twitter. “Shri Bappi Lahiri Ji’s music was all encompassing, beautifully expressing diverse emotions. People across generations could relate to his works. His lively nature will be missed by everyone. Saddened by his demise. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” he wrote.
