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 It
was on this day (11th Dec, 2004) that M S Subbulakshmi left her
mortal coil and merged with Nadabrahmam. And, what a full life
was hers? She had received the highest civilian honour of the
country, Bharath Ratna, the Magsaysay Award and what not. She
had the opportunity of mingling with the top most personalities
in the international, national, regional, musical, spiritual,
film and art arena. Yet she was humility personified. While
receiving the Magsaysay Award in 1974, she described Indian
music as being "Oriented solely to the end of devine communion".
She added, "If I have done something in this respect, it is
entirely due to the grace of the Almighty, who has chosen my
humble self as a tool." Indeed, she was a legend in her own life
time.
Born in Madurai on September 16, 1916, to
veena artiste Shanmugavadivu, little Kunjamma was initiated into
music by her mother. No formal lessons. But she observed a whole
wealth by listening and humming with the veena. She cut her
first disc at the age of ten.
By 1932, she had already become a cult figure
for the young generation. Her first guru was Madurai Srinivasa
Iyyangar. Then, Ariyakkudi taught her a couple of songs. Once
she entered the concert arena, there was no turning back. The
family moved to Chennai that year. Director K Subramaniyam
arranged her concert at the Kumbakonam Mahamaham in 1933. It was
a great success. When she was 17, she went up the dais at Music
Academy, breaking the male bastion. From then on, she was known
as the Nightingale. When she married Sadasivam in 1940, her
career took a new direction.
Thereafter, she went through her stellar
years. She acted and sang in several films. At the same time she
continued, with vigour, her musical career. Semmangudi, Musiri,
Brinda, Papanasam Sivan - all taught her fresh compositions and
styles. Her concerts in Edinburgh and the United Nations took
her to the international scene. She had the unique opportunity
of interacting with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajaji,
Kalki, Paramacharya and several such personalities. She has
provided funds and charities to several organisations. At a time
when she was going through serious financial difficulties,
Sadasivam announced that she would no longer sing for money.
She was graceful and traditional,
conservative in style, a home-maker in life and humble in
approach. There was none like her before and there would never
be. Na Bhootho Na Bhavishyathi.
H Ramakrishnan
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