The mortal remains of the doyen of Carnatic music, M S Subbulakshmi, who passed away late last night, were consigned to flames here this evening with full State honours. Hundreds of music lovers, who had thronged the Besant Nagar electric crematorium in south Chennai, bade a tearful farewell to the 88-year-old icon of Indian classical music. The last rites were performed by 'Kalki' Murali, grandnephew of Subbulakshmi and Sadasivam at 5.40 p.m.
President A P J Abdul Kalam paid a fleeting visit to the city this afternoon to pay his last respects to the musical genius, who died after a bout of 'broncho pneumonia' in a private hospital. On arrival in the city, he motored down to her residence at Kotturpuram and placed a wreath on the body. He spent nearly 10 minutes at her house to console the relatives. He was accompanied by Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh
Barnala.
At the crematorium, police team presented a
36-gun salute before the body was put at the electric pyre. Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister O Panneerselvam and the Information Secretary represented the state at the funeral. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and DMK president M Karunanidhi had earlier visited the vocalist's residence to place wreaths and pay floral tributes.
Scores of musicians including Balamurali Krishna, P Susheela, S Janaki, Jesudas, danseuse Sonal Mansingh and several prominent politicians and film personalities also paid their homage to the departed musical genius. A pall of gloom descended at the residence of the late musician where the body was kept for public homage after it was brought in the wee hours of today from St Isabel Hospital. She was admitted there about 10 days ago.
Thousands of people from various walks of life including her fans and music lovers, many of them sobbing, paid their respects to the music legend, who enthralled the music lovers for over seven decades with her mellifluous voice.
MS cremated with full State honours
