After nearly a decade, the diva wasn't at home in Mumbai, where her birthday is celebrated by her family with a puja and ceaseless food and sweets. Scores of TV channel crews, which show up infallibly to get bytes since the early morning hours, were informed that she wouldn't be in town this year.
The legendary singer's show, titled Iconic 2015 Tour USA, has played to sold-out performances in Atlanta, Chicago, San Jose, Houston and Dallas. As soon as the Dallas show ended on September 6, she jetted to New York.
On her birthday, she chilled out at the Lexington Hotel. In the evening, she will head out for dinner with her son Anand, relatives and musicians.
After completing the US tour with a show in New Jersey, she flies to London and will then attend the opening of the next outlet of her chain of restaurants, Asha's, in Manchester.
Meanwhile, her doting daughter-in-law Anuja Anand Bhosle served chocolate cake and seafood delicacies to visitors, who streamed in to the Bhosle residence in a Lower Parel tower complex, unaware that the diva was out of town.
Anuja told SpotboyE.com that because of the time zone difference between America and India, her mum-in-law had promised to stay awake all night till she was wished for her birthday by her grand kids, twins Zanai and Ranjai. Added the bahu, "And you can bet that Aai will spend the day shopping at Bloomingdale's for gifts for them. She always gets Zanai fashion accessories. For Ranjai, she picks up the latest gizmos."
And does didi Lata Mangeshkar find a birthday gift regularly for Asha Bhosle? To that the answer is, "Yes, of course. Last year, she gave Aai a beautiful pair of diamond and emerald earrings. They always pamper each other on their birthdays."