/> It's a classic illustration of the Mountain coming to Mohammad. When the French government conferred its most prestigious civilian honour the Legion D'Honour on our Nightingale Lata Mangeshkar she had only one reservation. And it had something to do with air travel.

Lataji in her inimitable shy way, expressed her inability to make the long journey to Paris to collect the award.

But was the French government deterred? Not the least! In an unprecedented move the authorities in Paris have decided to fly down to Mumbai to confer the Legion d'Honour on Asia's most prized jewel of the croon.

Says a source close to Lataji, "It's truly an unheard-of honour for our nation as a whole. To actually have a foreign government fly down to confer the honour on the recipient shows how much Lataji has achieved as an artiste."

The function to be held in Mumbai on December 13 is expected to be attended by numerous Bollywood dignitaries.

Lataji is the second super-icon from Bollywood to be conferred with the Legion d'honour this year. Earlier this year Amitabh Bachchan received the same honour.