In memoriam - M.S.Subbulakshmi, 1916 - 2004

Bharat Ratna and noted Carnatic music exponent M.S.Subbulakshmi (Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi) passed away on Saturday, December 11, 2004 in Chennai India, at the age of 88.

Blessed with subliminal and possibly unparalleled talent for song, this "Nightingale of India" helped popularize the classical art form in India and elsewhere. And being born into a family of music lovers, I got lucky at an early age and grew up listening to M.S.S's songs on tape and radio.

The haunting and mesmerizing soulfulness of her voice is perhaps best illustrated in that equally haunting song "Kaatrinilae Varum Geetham" from the movie Meera. Her fluid voice, combined with an incredible vocal range and delivery served to remind me of the waters of a brook gliding ever-so-gently over rocks, lolling the listener into a peaceful frame of mind.

Like I mentioned above, my family is a musically-oriented family with spiritualism thrown in for a good measure. As a result, we were exposed to the great bhajans and hymns and chants that are part of a practising Hindu's culture. Chief among them is the ode to the rising light of the morning.. the Suprabhatam. And MSS wove her way into countless peoples morning experiences just by the sheer strength of her vocal delivery reciting.."Kausalya Supraja Rama Poorva Sandhya...". You could argue that if you had listened to someone else recite the Suprabhatam, and listened to it with the regularity that was paid to the MSS version, that would have the same appeal to it too. But, this is one of the unusual cases where the message matters, and so does the messenger.

Essentially, I guess it was the reassurance of hearing that soothing voice reciting that sloka with resonance, that put to rest any apprehension that I may have of facing the upcoming day. Similarly, her recital of Bhaja Govindam, Vishnu Sahasranaamam and Hanuman Chalisa, and her ability to be crystal-clear in pronunciation and enunciation of the Sanskrit words of these verses, has me enthralled in a way, that I will forever struggle to put that into words.

MSS' contribution to this world, if measured by the sheer number of peoples hearts she touched through her song alone, would be as close to a Herculean task as there can be. But she did not stop there, and strove to donate to charity at all available opportunities.

It is said that she rarely ever sings with her eyes opened. And for whatever the reason maybe, traditional prayers as taught to us by our parents meant that we closed our eyes and tried to concentrate on God. Hence this practise of hers was one of those implicit actions that appealed to the heart and spoke volumes of her sincerity of recitals. I do hope many of the current crop of singers would take up on similar traditions and keep the torch of classical Indian music burning high and bright.

But, her appeal was not restricted to just carnatic or classical music alone. Her famous rendition of that pan-Indian song - Vaishnava Janato, is easily one moving experience. And that song devoted to Lord Krishna - Kurai Ondrum Illai, which apparently was her signature ending to inevitably all concerts..well it is an apt encore to any concert.

My appreciation of her unique talent and ability is despite the fact that I am, you could say, musically as talented as a braying donkey. But her singing has always managed to ensnare my senses and thrown me into raptures of emotion. Thank god for the excellent invention that is the magnetic tape, and the compact-disc digitized music.

Now, even though the original beacon has attained samadhi at the feet of the Lord, we will get to hear her in unadulterated purity and sincerity through discs and tapes.

She believed that with her talents she was just relaying Gods message to the listening public. If that is indeed the case, one could easily make the argument that she did what was charted out for her, with a flourish and in a manner that far exceeded what was probably expected of her.

And we, the public - that got the magnificent opportunity to listen to her up-close and personal, either in live concert in one of the many excellent concert venues in Chennai or through the medium of TV or radio - are truly blessed to have had that opportunity.

I pray that her soul rests in peace, after having provided so much peace to her listeners.