‘This song was always living inside me’: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa fame Abhijeet Ghoshal releases emotional track ‘Maa Tu Kyun Chali Gayi’

Mumbai: Songs about mothers often carry a different kind of emotion, one rooted in memory, sacrifice and unconditional love. Bringing those emotions alive through music, Abhijeet Ghoshal has released his latest track, ‘Maa Tu Kyun Chali Gayi’, an intensely personal song that captures the pain and longing felt after losing a mother too soon. Inspired by his own life, the song reflects Ghoshal’s memories of growing up in a middle-class household in Prayagraj and the emotional void left behind after his mother passed away following a long battle with cancer. Through simple yet deeply moving lyrics, the track revisits moments many listeners instantly relate to, from summer nights during power cuts and mothers staying awake fanning their children, to festive celebrations at home and parents who quietly dedicate their lives to their families without thinking about themselves.
“This was actually the first song I ever wrote,” shares Ghoshal. “My mother had been unwell for years and after she passed away, there were so many emotions and memories that stayed with me. Somewhere, this song was always living inside me.”Interestingly, the song came into existence after encouragement from his guru, Padma Shri Shekhar Sen. “I had never written lyrics before. One day Shekhar da told me, ‘Tonight you will write your first song and the title will be Ma.’ I was nervous because I didn’t know how to write, but when I finally sat down that night with a diary, the words just flowed naturally. It felt like I wasn’t creating something new. I was simply bringing out feelings that had always been there.”He further adds, “I think every child grows up believing there is still time to do more for their mother. You keep thinking one day you’ll make her proud, take her travelling, give her the life she deserves. But when a mother suddenly leaves, those dreams remain unfinished forever. This song came from that emptiness and those memories that never really leave you.”
The song especially resonates with anyone who has grown up dreaming of one day giving their parents a better life. Musically, ‘Maa Tu Kyun Chali Gayi’ stays rooted in Indian melodies and instrumentation, featuring flute, santoor, tabla and duff to create an intimate and nostalgic soundscape. Unlike his latest upbeat contemporary productions, this song intentionally embraces stillness and raw emotion.
“This is not meant to be a fast or foot-tapping song,” Ghoshal explains. “It’s the kind of song that makes you stop for a moment and remember someone you love. A mother is probably the purest emotion anyone can have, and when she suddenly leaves, that emptiness stays forever.”
Abhijeet Ghoshal, known for creating history on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa with eleven consecutive wins, is today exploring different kinds of music through Bollywood songs, devotional tracks, club mixes and emotional originals that connect with listeners across age groups.