Remembering Divine MS Subbulakshmi
On her 108th birth anniversary, a lot of thoughts, anecdotes and pleasant memories flash past and I wish to freeze on one- patti’s few deep desires. She was always mindful of tha-tha’s (Sri T.Sadasivam) well being and happiness.
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Occupation(s): Classical vocalist
Spouse(s): Kalki Sadasivam
Years active: 1930–1997
Born: 16 September 1916; Madurai, Madras Pr…
Musical style and performance · Singing career · Films · Awards and honours
What gave her immense internal satisfaction was his state of being.
It was amongst Patti’s last public performances and Mumbai was set to hear her at the large Shanmukhananda hall, a benefit performance for Sankara Nethralaya. An overflowing audience was regaled to a vintage performance that lasted for over 4 hours. At the conclusion, an outpouring of emotion was evident in the large audience, many of whom rushed to the stage to seek her divine blessings. Amongst them were elderly people who, unmindful of their age, sought to seek her best wishes. This episode, while moving all of us emotionally, had little impact on patti. The following day, she was possibly at her ‘happiest state’, at the ‘Sadabhishekam’ celebration of tha-tha, at the Sankara Matam, Mumbai.
Despite challenges, dad (Kalki Kannan) went ahead with the ceremony, possibly a fitting finale to a Divine couple, who had helped initiate many such projects during their lifetime. Interestingly, both tha-tha and patti did not expect to have such a ceremony nor did they attempt to indicate a desire for one. Taken completely by surprise, they experienced the ritual with total bliss. As the ‘Ganga jal’ was poured over them, both patti and tha tha gave way to their emotions, that came pouring out and merged with the sacred water. It was much later that Patti expressed her state of bliss in the private confines of our place. “It is the sacred duty of a son to perform such a function for his father and you have lived up to the same (paraphrased)”‘ wrote tha tha to dad.
Time passes by and the Divine grace of the music queen ‘ever expands and grows’, motivating newer generations not only on their musical path , but on the values that she held so dear. Pranam patti, we feel blessed to have, all our lives, experienced your grace and benevolence.
MELODY QUEEN’S BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
I CANNOT STOP EXPRESSING MY VIEWS OF HER IN MY OWN POETIC WAY
There is only one musician in the horizon
Who is undoubtedly its tradition
She has a world renowned name,
Which is reflected in her fame.
She might look at ease and small,
But her singing makes her look ten feet tall.
When she is at the recital you forget the rest,
And you know she is undoubtedly the world’s best.
With all the trust that she can hatch,
She can score a purple patch
This woman is the World’s Eighth Wonder
And the auditoriums she brought thunder.
As she led from the front to music destiny
She will be remembered forever in history.
The woman leaves no doubt in my mind
She is absolutely one of a kind,
She can make the Hall fill and blur,
And her name I know, you know is
BHARAT RATNA DR. M.S. SUBBULAKSHMI
By C.K. SUBRAMANIAM
Navi Mumbai
