MS Subbulakshmi.pdf

Sruti Magazine 1

M.S. Subbulakshmi(1916 - 2004)

The Sruti Foundation - Chennai

Published by

2 M.S. Subbulakshmi

Sruti Magazine 3

Sruti is pleased to present this compilation of articles on M.S. Subbulakshmi published by the magazine over the years.

— Editor

4 M.S. Subbulakshmi

M.S. Subbulakshmi(1916 - 2004)

Published by The Sruti Foundation - Chennai

INR ` 250 US $ 8

Copyright © The Sruti Foundation - ChennaiAll rights reserved

Cover Design : S. Riswan

Edited by : V. Ramnarayan

Sruti Magazine 5

Contents . . .Introduction 7 . . . . . . .

The First Seven Decades 12 . . . . . . .

She Came, She Sang, She Conquered 19 . . . . . . .

The Charm Of MS 23 . . . . . . .

The Queen & I 31 . . . . . . .

Her Mentors 36 . . . . . . .

MS Crossing Yet Another Milestone 42 . . . . . . .

MS spoke to Mani Krishnaswami 45 . . . . . . .

Bharat Natna to M.S. Subbulakshmi 50 . . . . . . .

The Music of MS 54 . . . . . . .

A Tribute With A Difference 59 . . . . . . .

My Impressions Of A Rare Individual 64 . . . . . . .

My Recollections Of MS 71 . . . . . . .

From Family 75 . . . . . . .

Tributes From The Sruti Parivaar 101 . . . . . . .

6 M.S. Subbulakshmi

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“She carries a veena in her throat!” Eminent veena vidwan Sambasiva Iyer was to

17-year-old debutant at the Music Academy.

karma in an earlier birth.

Subbulakshmi would one day become an

the most decorated of them all.

Introduction

8 M.S. Subbulakshmi

and crowded now as it was in

cows would sit comfortably

to hear the shouts and the honks.

for musicians because of my

ancient musical instrument.

Sruti Magazine 9

10 M.S. Subbulakshmi

western musicians as well as her Hindustani

invaluable assistance as

nationalist leaders were

Devi surrendered her title

Gowri Ramnarayan

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The First Seven Decades

1 SEPTEMBER 1916

Shanmukhavadivu Ammal and

Maragatavadivu in Oothikuzhiyile,

2 SEPTEMBER 1926

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3 SEPTEMBER 1936

A decade of momentous events.

T3mii weekly Anancta Vikavan

Seva sadan, based on the story of a deserted Sakuntalai,

Savitri, Meera in

Savitri

Kalki.

edition Meera


and other national leaders.

4 SEPTEMBER 1946

and determined

causes dear to her and her husband.

5 SEPTEMBER 1956

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6 SEPTEMBER 1966

conference of the Madras Music Academy and receives the title of

woman to be so honoured.


7 SEPTEMBER 1976

Member d’ honneur

it before its natural term is due to end.

stotras and

As the years of the

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from her concert career. The diverstiture of the weekly Kalki and the sale

by Sadasivam makes them

become restricted more

functions. This task comes

shadow anywhere.

Sruti Magazine 19

She Came, She Sang, She Conquered

It was a time when Ariyakudi Ramanuja


masses with his classical melodies.

Sathur Subramaniam

of lyrics and unalloyed classicism.

Sruti Magazine 21

musical virtuosity.

symbol to be seen at her concerts and the self-styled connoisseurs

Seva Sadan was second only to the sensuous Sakuntalai. Manam kuthookalipathumeno was

notable for its joy de vivre; Manam kulira Pannedum nalai

P.N. Venkatraman

Sruti Magazine 23

The Charm Of MS:Wide Appeal Of Her Music & Personality

I Kamakshi Suprabhatam recorded by MS was

Toranas should be made of fresh ashoka or

my memories.


rich.” She had

Sruti Magazine 25

Saroja data netri, or the Meera bhajans

New York Times

music lovers the world over.

and dissonant in my life melts into one sweet harmony—My adoration

Merchant of Venice:

For do but note a wild and wanton herd, Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,Which is the hot condition of their blood,If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,Or any air of music touch their ears, You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,


Their savage eyes turn’d to a modest gazeBy the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet,

Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rageBut music for the time doth change his nature.

barriers.

Vellai tamarai,

R. Rajalakshmi (Adapted from an article

Sruti Magazine 27

Anna

femininity. Amidst the male chauvinism of the Indian music

this very well. At a recital in Eluru—this was sometime in the


Santamulekha sowkyamutedu.

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A JEWEL OF INDIA

To the rest of the world, India is a fabled land Of diamonds, rubies

extreme poverty juxtaposed to immense riches.

Its ‘jewels’ include people too. Since independence, some of them have

MS, an outstanding personality, the darling of millions including

causes and institutions, is recognised widely as being among the brightest jewels of India.

suggestion at a Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan programme on 18 September

T. Sankaran

GCS

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The Queen & I

I

had been injured in an automobile accident and

is an event not to

—

The concert itself was a notable event in many ways. It was announced that the collections were


The music. How can one describe the quality of the music on that

—will— in

O Jaga-damba on one side and Evarimata

!

like Senthamizh nadu and Aaduvome Pallu Paaduvome

1941 I invited Sadasivam and Subbulakshmi to

time I

the Secretariat in and I then started a music

Sruti Magazine 33

She had included in her

and set to music in the by Handel

Manuel of Madras. She

brovara, as climaxed the concert with the beautiful benediction

Maitreem bhajata—

conquers all hearts—and


Sreyo booyat sakala janaanaam.

to a sell-out audience.

whether in include the Venkatesa Suprabhatam and the Vishnu Sahasranamam. Her

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Subbulakshmi was born to music. She was

non-devadasi woman to break out this side of

Siva deekshaparu, and a tanam.

mentor should be Shanmukhavadivu who

The Mentors of MS

Sruti Magazine 37

to outshine her sister Subbulakshmi.

additional contribution was to teach her many kriti-s of Swati Tirunal.

was the elder brother of


javali-s.

and whose renown as an authority on

Sruti Magazine 39

mentors.

Meera

music by Handel Manuel who also tutored MS and Radha on how to


that it overshadowed

beautiful “benediction

for the occasion by His Holiness

to do.

to me.”

P. ORR with T. Sankaran

Sruti Magazine 41


M.S.SubbulakshmiCrossing Yet Another Milestone

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu

score a century.

as certainly as she ever did. Her music is still

heydays.

vouch that her initials really stand for Melody Sublime. And even the most chauvinistic

Sruti Magazine 43

money she has

husband.

study of the career

only they would try.

P. ORR

Sruti Magazine 45

Sruti

Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi for this special

and at the end asked for the blessings of MS and her husband T. Sadasivam.

Sruti

Sruti and its readers for

calendar.

recital?

MS spoke to Mani Krishnawami


from my childhood.

professionally?

musical career?

Sruti Magazine 47

of her music and talent. It was just by the sheer merit of her own art

in your career?

if they listen to the music of the stalwarts of the past?

artists?


say that our lady artists should not lose their identity of Indian

Sruti Magazine 49


Bharat Ratna to M.S. Subbulakshmi

A

about it.

line and told MS that he had decided to award

Sruti Magazine 51

statement issued later.

their sentiments.


diamond in her crown of fame.

Madras.

P. ORR

Sruti Magazine 53


The Music of MS

Music was second nature to M.S. Subbulakshmi. It was not even a way

I have known her for many years. The

this even as she commenced her recitals with

kriti-s were the same but would seem fresh and new every time she rendered them. This was

as told to S. JANAKI.

Sruti Magazine 55

be said that MS enjoyed

who felt that melody was

and all these “throat-

the vocal chords. MS was


dhaivata-s in the Viriboni

She and Sadasivam took

the next day to check the

need be.

does not make a summer!

she received from her

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juncture I would like to share with your readers what she once told

(kalebaram). kutcheri.”

kriti Ka va va “athukku oru tani azhagu.”

that “avarukku romba kurumbu jaasti,” and went on to relate how he

“Pa pa ni dha(an) pa pa,”

music that held sway over one and all.

Encomiums have been showered on MS and she has been hailed as the

always be etched in the memory of all her millions of admirers.

Sruti Magazine 59

A Tribute With A Difference

ne knew that M.S. Subbulakshmi was in

that the end should come soon and rid her of


of dissent.

authority.

sheer authority is the only word that I can think of in this context. I venture

Sruti Magazine 61

It does less than justice to her stature as a classical musician.

collections of her music from

element is only minimally

classical music in them.


(Yaaro endrennamale; Sankaracharyam; Sadasivam upasmahe; Sarojadala netri; Aartha piravi tuyarkkeda);

(Pakkala nilabadi; Samaanemevaru); (Yaaro ivar yaaro; Enati nomu phalamu; Amba Kamakshi);

(Sree Krishnam bhaja maanasa; Daasarathi; Kartikeya Gaangeya);

(Kaligiyunte); Mukhari (Karubaru);

Ramaswamy R. Iyer

Sruti Magazine 63


My Impressions Of A Rare Individual

Mcountless admirers. These tributes do not add

other celebrity.

as a boy to the twin record Evari maui in the

N.S. JAGANNATHAN, senior journalist, former editor of Hindustan Times, Indian Express & Financial Express.

Sruti Magazine 65

Ellorayum polave ennai ennalahumodi podi, Kaami Kodaiyile ilappacitrikkollum

vakai kidailtha kulir taruve.

juvenile history for it is necessary to set the

day enthusiasm of my

in the Music Academy and elsewhere were a rumour

elders in the family. It was


occasioned.

sangeetham.com

can bestow on anyone.

Sruti Magazine 67

in the shrill tonality of the Evari mata record mentioned earlier. There

as


in

—kumkumam on the forehead and traditional jewellery on her ears

with —

south Indian small town of the house.

could for

by her total

had not touched her at all. In some of her reluctant

this totally conventional

her for assertive female chauvinism.

This was no accident but very much a conscious choice and a

it has also been an arduous journey. She is a very

Sruti Magazine 69

.

had made for her and eventually found a home—quite accidentally—

volition.

Sruti Magazine 71

My Recollections Of MS

my sister Rajalakshmi took me to a concert. It

as well as in other Indian cities.

Society. I lived then in a house nearby. As a

G. SUNDARI, retired Superintendent of Studies at Kalakshetra.


was before they were married. There was a small tank nearby where

our house and introduced them to mother. It was one of several such

and enunciation.

etc.

adorned our house. This

Sruti Magazine 73

Subbulakshmi Sadasivam. I like to be known thus.”

to see the doctor before I did. Her consideration knew no bounds.

Sruti Magazine 75

From Family

A

a child.


shouts and the honks.

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to make us fall silent. She did not tolerate distractions of that sort.

mouthed wonder. I never saw any.


This is the occasion,For our liberation, This is Congress resolution

Sruti Magazine 79

“Ghrita guda payasam.”

Sruti Magazine 81

Sa ri ga ma pa dha ni sa.


sweet.

The musicians who

instruments. A nod from my mother was

to them. Sometimes

they would listen

these maestros would

would teach me a

Sruti Magazine 83

best for mother. I would run out and watch. I would be entranced by


Hindustani music was not unknown to us in the south. The Maratha

Syama sundara madana mohana

you hear now. There was much less noise. Many more hawkers and

Sruti Magazine 85

bhoom maadu or the bull which told fortunes each had his own way

I lost my father at about the same time. He was a lawyer. His heart

would be carefully taken


I was so overcome by these words that I shrank behind mother and

Sruti Magazine 87

(Slightly edited excerpt from Past Forward published by Oxford University Press in 1997, reproduced with permission).

My earliest memories of M.S. Subbulakshmi are of concerts at R.R.

form it achieved in her mature years.

Gowri Ramnarayan


still-under construction.

voice and the whole room

emotion as her sonorous

Sruti Magazine 89

with an aura of sheer

were full of my father

was a rare moment of sublimation such as I

before.

In the early days of our

touched by her concern for us and her extraordinary humility. To

V. Ramnarayan


I

manner.

Sruti Magazine 91

Her aesthetic sense

to discard them in a corner of her


“Neeyum kutcherikku varayaa?

Sruti Magazine 93

come to our house everyday with the sruti box and the notebooks

features would became more marked with the beautiful kumkum


sarees and also

with border. Muthu

which became very

She loved that colour.

Another fact about MSS is that she did

love.

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar

Sruti Magazine 95

M

was an area that


scrubbed and cleaned. She would rinse her mouth and ensure that

us.

made a way of life.

V. Chandrasekhar

Sruti Magazine 97

H


“Enna karpanai, aha! Ellarum kelungo!”

Akhilandeswari

“Anandi, Ambi saukhyama?”

Sruti Magazine 99

sruti box.

fortune.

Akhila Ramnarayan

Sruti Magazine 101

Tributes From The Sruti Parivaar

M.S. Subbulakshmi was 88 years old when

she commanded from her country men and women.

by my father to listen to music concerts in the

he was a member. The ticket was made over

K.V. RAMANATHAN, Formar Editor-in-Chief, Sruti.


next to me.

from the Music Academy in the wake of the Tamil Isai movement in

Sruti Magazine 103

death.

SRIRAM.V, Contributing Editor, Sruti.

T


come to denote individualistic styles of rendition that are at times

common feature between the styles of Musiri and MS is a wealth of

and Nagumomu were rendered by him in a fashion that none of his juniors have been

Sruti Magazine 105

(Marakatavadivu) one is

mid Unnuravum, MS does not

Maname kanamum, modulation.

Mara sukumara, Anandam en solvene and Pannedum nalai, one can understand whether the sequence is a

technique. Her voice became an instrument

on whatever shades


Nagumomu). She was adequate in her

elements.

Sruti Magazine 107

Sadashfam combine

also owed a lot to her

Her sublime beauty and

around the shoulder and

had as much to do with her star status as her music.

bordered sarees. She also


did not festoon herself in jewellery unlike the norm that now exists.

Bhagavad Gita tradition. That

Sruti Magazine 109

MANNA SRINIVASAN, Roving Editor, Sruti.

T

dedication and devotion demonstrated in reality.

the one hand and an

element in the way of

and unconsciously. Music does not remain


admiration.

Sruti Magazine 111

The full house for the conc

The activist role earns an association that lasts.


equanimity so distinct.

day and says “Kunja paadinadukku enakku maalai,” and bursts into

in Maalai pozhudinile oru naal) “Yennaaa appadi solrel,” a ‘cultural

“Subbulakshmian”!

just an invocation in a

Sruti Magazine 113

“Sreyo bhuyat sakala janaanaam,

and listen to Sahasra-namam

S. JANAKI, Deputy Editor, Sruti.

T


Sangeeta Kala Acharya S. RAJAM, Contributing Editor, as told to GAYATRI SUNDARESAN.

M.S. Subbulakshmi and Sadasivam and my family were close

broke away from Ananda Vikatan Kalki

Jayati jayati Bharata Mata, had set the verses of Tirukkural

Sruti Magazine 115

and learnt the Tirukkural

learnt from him.

Neri ninraar needu vazhvaar


Tirukkural-s, but she did not

did learn these from me.

GAYATRI SUNDARESAN, Assistant Editor, Sruti.

“Maan Kanangal Meygai marandu, meinda pullum kadai vaai vazhi that is how I was on

Narayana ennum divya namam and Vadavaraiyai mathaakki, just blindly

Sruti Magazine 117

Vishnu Sahasranamam

divinity incarnate.

A Melodious MeetLAKSHMI DEVNATH, Contributing Editor, Sruti. Reproduced with permission, The Hindu

M.

“Adiye! naan thaan di


M.S. Amma and Sadasivam Mama on many occasions.

stand head and shoulders above any other.

was a bundle of emotions. I racked my brains for what I

Sruti Magazine 119

“Vaango”

heads of States who stood humbled before her divine music.

“Ellame avaraal thaan”

Mama.”


Na bhooto na bhavishyati

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