In the passing away of MS, I seem to have lost my own soul. I was feeling sad. I felt drawn to the quartet of Kalki, Anantarama Dikshitar, Rajaji and MS. All of them have left this world. They were all unique in their respective fields and shared the pride of our ancient culture and did tremendous work to uphold and further it. MS of all was nearer to the hearts of a larger number. Her attainments were intelligible to the ordinary people as well as to the cognoscenti. Her transparently total devotion during her renditions, and childlike simplicity and humility which only great souls can bring to bear won her laurels from one and all from the various corners of not only our country but also from abroad. Whoever has listened to MS even once felt deeply impacted. No fellow professional ever bore any grudge to her. But it is not the encomiums that define her but her authentic personality which was (and to those who knew her even remotely it will be in their all life) unmistakable. It meant one and the same thing to all. I feel I have achieved, if anything I have, in having lived in her time. I feel I have a trace of authenticity myself in feeling the way I do about her.
All are not born to be great. But to be able to live in the shadow of the great deriving the calmness and contentment it bestows is itself worthy of one’s life.
On the eve of her death anniversary
MS departed 13 years ago. She lives though in the happy memories of those that hear(d) her and followed her.
She was human and had a right to live her life the way she did. The way she did has benefited thousands and thousands.
If she had confined herself only to carnatic music as an art and not as a medium to touch the lives of common people we would have been the poorer.
Sri TS chose, let us concede that, her career and chose that she should immortalize some of the devotional hymns. It was no doubt to reach a large audience, but not for money or fame, both of which did not affect MS in any way. The couple wanted the welfare of people and devotion was the route to peace and contentment in their assessment. They stuck to that.
As a nonentity who followed Kanchi Acharya, Rajaji, Kalki and MS, I find a common thread that runs through. Kanchi Acharya led his life as a penance for the spiritual upliftment, Rajaji for political upliftment and Kalki for literary upliftment. MS did it in the most striking manner through her music. If it was only the voice or jnanam of music, so many others would have done it. It was a deep concern for people that pervaded her life as we see from many anecdotes from a wide range of people. That concern easily flowed through the devotional music she has left behind. Most of those that hear her and remember her get solace deep within. Mere art music would not have achieved it. It is not for achievement, but for reaching the people for their good. All the four luminaries lived for that. Kanchi Acharya was a spiritual beacon and he had no worldly attachment. The other three lived a worldly life and are a role model for ordinary people engaged in worldly life. If Gita must be understood it can be understood by reflecting on their lives. There would be flaws and missteps, but that is about life. They are not epic heroes, and the greatness of our epics is that heroes are portrayed with flaws.
That is the truth to my mind. I take that which is the core and beneficial.
The memory of MS will ever be associated with the human predicament and the Hindu way of redemption. There is everything to feel proud about it.
MS departed 13 years ago. She lives though in the happy memories of those that hear(d) her and followed her.
She was human and had a right to live her life the way she did. The way she did has benefited thousands and thousands.
If she had confined herself only to carnatic music as an art and not as a medium to touch the lives of common people we would have been the poorer.
Sri TS chose, let us concede that, her career and chose that she should immortalize some of the devotional hymns. It was no doubt to reach a large audience, but not for money or fame, both of which did not affect MS in any way. The couple wanted the welfare of people and devotion was the route to peace and contentment in their assessment. They stuck to that.
As a nonentity who followed Kanchi Acharya, Rajaji, Kalki and MS, I find a common thread that runs through. Kanchi Acharya led his life as a penance for the spiritual upliftment, Rajaji for political upliftment and Kalki for literary upliftment. MS did it in the most striking manner through her music. If it was only the voice or jnanam of music, so many others would have done it. It was a deep concern for people that pervaded her life as we see from many anecdotes from a wide range of people. That concern easily flowed through the devotional music she has left behind. Most of those that hear her and remember her get solace deep within. Mere art music would not have achieved it. It is not for achievement, but for reaching the people for their good. All the four luminaries lived for that. Kanchi Acharya was a spiritual beacon and he had no worldly attachment. The other three lived a worldly life and are a role model for ordinary people engaged in worldly life. If Gita must be understood it can be understood by reflecting on their lives. There would be flaws and missteps, but that is about life. They are not epic heroes, and the greatness of our epics is that heroes are portrayed with flaws.
That is the truth to my mind. I take that which is the core and beneficial.
The memory of MS will ever be associated with the human predicament and the Hindu way of redemption. There is everything to feel proud about it.
M.S. Subbulakshmi
14 Jul 2016
(English translation by KVC)
From Sri Pasupathy’s blog
http://s-pasupathy.blogspot.in/2013/01/13.html
1968 is when MS got SangItha KalAnidhi award. The same year in Anandavikatan (22nd Dec issue) an article appeared.
Excerpts:
A queen for music
T T Krishnamachary
A friend of mine invited me to a concert saying, ‘This evening a girl sings in Soundarya Mahal. Come, let us go there.’ I accompanied him. A young slim girl was singing on the dais. There was a lustre in her face. Her sonorous voice attracted me greatly. I told my friend. ‘Not bad. The young girl sings well. Good voice.’ My friend said, ‘Wonderful voice. There are the famous Enadi Sisters. The elder of the two had a wonderful voice. This girl’s voice is still better.’
This was in 1932. Yes, it was the first concert of MS that I heard.
I did not listen to her after that. She was making waves in the music world. Everywhere the talk used to be ‘MS, MS.’ I heard that in between she entered film world and acted. I did not see any film. At that time some people would tell me that MS has the impact of GNB style in her music.
It was in 1953 that the concert of MS enthralled me. I remember the date also vividly. It was 25th January. I went to the wedding in TMS Mani’s house. They took me to the first row and made sit next to Rajagopalacharyar, who was then CM. He told me, ‘She was singing well earlier, but there is now some change.’
However, I felt that the concert that day was quite good. It occurred to me that she had attained maturity. I told him my opinion, ‘What you say is not right. Now only, there is maturity in her music. She sings with bhava.’
That was very true. She had then training under Semmangudi. She had good grounding. After that, I had occasion to listen to her music often. She used to visit Delhi often. Sometimes she would stay in my house. I would listen to her music then. I would tell her in jest, ‘Stand for election. You will win riding on your popularity.’
Only music is the world of MS. She has no other thoughts. She is ever engrossed in it. The speciality of her music is constant improvement. She has the good sense to learn from the greats. She is quick at the uptake and has sadhakam. God has blessed her with a good voice. She has honed that voice by practice and harnessed it well. I would say that to my knowledge, no one else has such a sweet voice. Those that listen to her continuously would appreciate readily her step by step improvement of musical knowledge.
Recently I attended a concert. She sang alapana in Chakravakam and followed it up with ‘sugunmau leka’. It is a tricky raga. If one swerves anywhere it will land in sowrashtram. The way she sung it that day proved that she has reserved a place among the great vidwans.
Foreigners have listened to her songs and enjoyed it. I cannot say how far they would have appreciated it. But, her voice would have mesmerised them. Jawaharlal described her as ‘A queen for music.’ That is wholly true.
It is in the fitness of things that the Music Academy honours her this year, the one who has taken up all the good from the elders with humility and attained the quality of vidwat.
(Courtesy; Vikatan)
*
Re: MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.
12 Oct 2015
Two comments on the article from a member of the last class in Srinathk's post:
There is reference to sadness in the post (also made by Gopal G in his speech, the two are close by the way and know MS better than I do). Maybe there was sadness. Even Gowri R mentions how MS missed her 'poranthaathu manusha'. There could be reasons for sadness, but whether that should be touched upon, I do not know. Incidentally, happiness may not be a legitimate purpose of human life (this of course is philosophical and opinions will diverge). I always felt so and found good authority to support it.
"Leo Rosten:
I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you have lived at all."
MS comes through shining in glory by this definition.
If she was indeed sad, her greatness looms pretty large as it never showed up in her relationship, reaction or music.
The second point is the conclusion that she is remembered, and it was so manipulated, for lighter pieces. I wonder whether this is a justifiable conclusion. I enjoy her singing all compositions. Even in UN, where her music must have been exotic as CVN mentions, she sang predominantly the heavier pieces. The number of her albums on traditional CM must be more than merely devotional. I do not know about the sales.
As for her classicism, MLV herself has written an article, and the contemporary greats have praised her truly.
*
22 Oct 2015 08:05
Is it the story of MS that she was converted from a devadasi to a Brahmin? Is it that she relinquished the abandon of a devadasi singer that would have made her a true artist? Is it that she was caught in the cocoon of Brahminical conservatism from the cracks in the walls of which her musical genius could only gleam through, but not shine forth? Is it that by singing lighter pieces and giving a large number of devotional lyrics her true Carnatic music forte was blunted? Is it true that being made to sing Sankarabharanam repeatedly, her music was stifled? Did she not sing other ragas with as much mastery and fairly often? If Semmangudi was identified with KHP, does it mean that his musical genius was confined to it? Is it that the ignoramuses adulated her slavishly while the aesthetes had a poor view of her credential as a classical musician? Is it that the praise of Chembai, Sambasiva Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer, and so many other greats was all stage managed or said merely for public consumption? If SSI said that her tanam singing was the best among women singers, or Musiri and SSI congratulated her after a varnam in Begada, is it all fictitious, and no one really acknowledged her in this area? Is it that Brahminism is a spoiler of the creative environment to music and that without that environment CM would have occupied the world stage? Is it that MS was totally dominated upon (which wife does not have a complaint) and that she was a reluctant victim? Then, why did she advocate a similar role to women in her interview? Was it also said in duress? Was it universal that her singing would be disrupted to sing a thukkada to satisfy a bigwig?
Those who lap up all these arguments pay a rich tribute to the oratory of TMK. His ideology of opposition to the ARI format (tukkadas being given prominence), Brahminism and the CM being a prisoner of Brahmins, runs right through the article cleverly and infectiously like space invades the universe.
It is well written, cleverly written, drawing effortlessly on his command of language, brilliance of mind and mastery of music, but the stance from which it is written does justice neither to MS nor to truth.
I would have appreciated if he had written an honest piece on the merits of her music and where it fell short.
*
MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.
Post by cacm » 23 Oct 2015
Dear K.V.C.,
I admire your PATIENCE & PERSISTANCE IN BRINGING OUT SUBJECTS OF IMPORTANCE TO BE DISCUSSED SO TRUTH COMES OUT. REGS, VKV
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MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.
24 Oct 2015
A few impressions of Sri TS from a distance:
I attended a concert of Smt. MS in MA long ago. Sri TS spoke. He announced that Smt. MS was going on a concert tour of the far east. He added (uncharacteristically?) ‘poovudan serntha nArum maNam peRuvathu pola nAnum pokiren.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!
In Ponniyin Pudalvan, I read Sri TS having said, ‘I have a picture of MS in Kalki office not because she is my wife, but since she has contributed to its capital.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!
I happened to read an interview of MS where at one stage, Sri TS intervenes to say, ‘Her success and fame are not due to me, but her merit.’ That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!
He ensured that his daughter provided vocal support to MS rather than embark on a musical career by herself. That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!
He arranged top class accompanists for MS by astute judgment and shrewd efforts. He was ruthless if an accompanist goofed up, I read in one article. That is the man who ruthlessly overpowered MS!
As a naïve person amenable to being sentimental, I wonder if any other husband devoted his whole life for his wife’s career as Sri TS did.
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Re: MS Understood: essay in Caravan magazine by TM Krishna.
Post by Ramasubramanian M.K » 02 Nov 2015
KV.Chellappa apropo your post of the 26th October "refuting" the innuendos against TS Mama, kudos to you.
If MS amma had heard you in person expressing the sentiments that you eloquently posted, this is what she would have said:
Chellappa Sir (I take it it is your real name!!),UNGAL VAIKKU SAKKARAI PODANUM.
Jan 19,
2006
Pothigai
was honouring people who achieved in various fields. One Savithri Vaithy was
honoured for her old age home. Sobhana was rendering a recital in Carnatic
music on the lighter side. She sang Katrinile varum geetham. Savithri recalled
how MS came to the old age home and gave a two-hour performance. At the end,
she was taken round the home. One eighty-year old woman who was visually
challenged offered to sing a song. She sang Katrinile and at the end said that
MS had sung the song. MS was moved and held the woman’s hand and revealed
herself to her with moist eyes.
