Remembering MS, a human nonpareil

Dear Sri,
You have written
I have accompanied quite a few men on their 'pen paarkum' event and in almost every case, the brides to be sang only a MS song. Perhaps it is considered a good 'raasi'!

I wonder, what song, Indra sang, when you went to "see" her !
I am sure it was one from Shakunthala or the like movie, starting something like
Manamohananga vadana....
Am I right ?
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear Sri,
The grapevine tells me, that you broke the convention & sang a few lines, before leaving
Sukumari(a) en thaapam nee ariyayo
Enathu ulLame niraindhadinbaveLLame
Maravane ennaaLilume !
My God, the whole of Madurai, our old fashioned town was bustling with this news of "reverse music", not heard of much, in those conservative days !
Love,
Chithra.

 

Yes, Sri !
I am aware that you know how blessed you are . She tells me, giggling, how, even now, you go around her in circles in the kitchen singing to her
Un samayal araiyil,
Naan uppa, sakkaraiya ??!!
Love,
Chithra.

 

Dear sir,
Excellent write up . I guess she has sung with true devotion(athmartham) that gives such soul stirring effect on us when we hear it. Venkatesa suprapatham is almost known to many as MS suprapatham. Baja Govindam also gives such an experience to on who hears which can't be truly expressed in words.Hey Govinda Hey Gopala makes you feel Gopala is somewhere around. Thanks for bringing back memories of a truly great personality.
regards,
uma

 

Hi Sri,

Good one. Really loved your original and also the FB's. I once had the chance to meet her, but to be frank, then I did not know so much about her, but today I really treasure that episode. When I look back, (ofcourse this should be my fb at atoning sins...) I have met Satya Sai baba very closely in my school days..and I was so arrogant???/too innocent?? of the ways of the world...went and asked him everybody says you are a God personified...Are you...he just smiled and asked what do you think..i said you look like ordinary human to whom i can relate...he said fine..just consider me as your friend....

Coming back to the topic...I was introduced to the nuances of carnatic music by FIL & MIL (today however I thank them it will never be enough..because of them i have come a long way in enjoying CM.).

MSS, only she could relate to Rajaji, and bring out the message so well in Kurai Ondrum Illai. Her conviction was that only bhakti can plumb the depth of human heart - as she put it, her songs have the higher purpose of directing the minds of listeners towards God and his manifestations. And she has done it so well.

I would like to quote Jawaharlal Nehru's famous one.... "I am but a mere Prime Minister, who pales into insignificance in the presence of the Queen of Music " ...which aptly sums up her position in all our hearts..

Gandhiji wanted MSS to sing the meera bhajan, "Hari Tum Haro", her husband, replied that she was not aware of how to sing this bhajan, since she had not learnt it.Gandhiji replied that it was enough for him to hear MSS speak the words of the bhajan, even if she did not know the song.This was indeed a great tribute from the Father of the Nation to the intense bhava, bhakti and emotional spiritualism in her voice.This incident happened in 1947, ( the song was a tribute to bapu's birthday) . MSS went on to master this bhajan and made it nationally and internationally famous with her soulful rendition. And was the song Aired by AIR Madras when Gandhiji succumbed to the bullets in 1948, and MSS could not sing this song without breaking down for quite sometime..such was her involvement.

I would like to attach the picture of MSS that is now in erected in Tirupathi, (I really feel bad that we don't even have a street named after her in chennaishakeheadshakehead)

M. S. Subbalakshmi had released many cassettes and CDs on Annamacharya's krithis and popularised the 'Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatham' on Lord Venkateswara, of Tirumala-Tirupathi.
The royalty raised through the sales of these albums is said to have amounted to about Rs.15 crores, which M.S. had donated to TTD for poor feeding and other welfare programmes. As a gesture of gratitude, TUDA and TTD, joined hands to honour this artiste with a statue.

Let me stop here....Or I could go on and on...............