The Hindu : Karnataka News : Temple town has fond memories of the nightingale

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 13, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Temple town has fond memories of the nightingale

By Our Staff Correspondent

UDUPI, DEC. 12. M.S. Subbulakshmi, renowned Carnatic vocalist who died on Saturday night, had visited Udupi and Manipal. She gave a concert in Udupi in 1969 and one in Manipal in 1977. The concerts, both free, were highly acclaimed and remain etched in the memory of music lovers in the district.

Vijaynath Shenoy, chief of Heritage Village and Hasta Shilpa Trust, told The Hindu that M.S., as she is popularly known, visited Udupi on January 29, 1969 to perform in a national- level cultural festival organised during the Paryaya of Vishwesha Tirtha Swamiji of Pejawar Math.

M.S. came for the inaugural function of the festival. She initially did not agree to perform in a temporary auditorium at Rajangana because there was a chance of her voice getting muffled. But she was informed that a large number of people would be coming to attend her concert and it was not possible to make any alternative arrangement. M.S. agreed and performed.

The next concert M.S. gave was in an open-air theatre on Manipal Junior College Grounds during the 80th birthday celebrations of T.M.A. Pai, the architect of modern Manipal, at Manipal on April 30 in 1977. Mr. Shenoy said M.S. had some apprehensions. She sent her technicians to check the mike and music arrangements. They checked for about four hours and gave their nod. This concert was also a huge success. Mr. Shenoy had organised the second programme in his capacity as organising secretary of the birthday celebrations committee.

As the head of Sangeet Sabha, an organisation promoting music in these parts, Mr. Shenoy approached M.S. in 1984 for performing in a concert. M.S. agreed and again she did not charge any fees for herself. She only said that a cheque for Rs. 10,000 be sent to Gandhigram Seva Trust in Madurai. But her daughter Radha fell ill and was admitted to Wellington Hospital in Chennai. Hence the programme had to be cancelled. M.S. returned the cheque.

The Magazine Editor of Udayavani, A. Ishwarayya, and the head of Ragadhana music organisation, Arvind Hebbar, said that there was a huge crowd to listen to Subbulakshmi's concert in Manipal in 1977.

Tributes

Rich tributes were paid to Subbulakshmi at a condolence meeting organised by Ragadhana.

The classical singer T.S. Satyavati from Bangalore described her and her music as supreme. Subbulakshmi personified classical music. Her music will live with us, she said.

The classical singer M.S. Sheela said there are no words to describe her greatness.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka