The Hindu : Front Page : M.S. Subbulakshmi cremated with State honours

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

Front Page

Front Page

M.S. Subbulakshmi cremated with State honours

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

A NATION MOURNS: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and people from all walks of life paid homage to M.S. Subbulakshmi in Chennai on Sunday. - Photo: S.R. Raghunathan.

CHENNAI, DEC. 12. As hundreds of admirers paid tearful tributes, legendary Carnatic musician, Bharat Ratna M.S. Subbulakshmi, who died on Saturday night, was cremated this evening with full State honours. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, led the nation in paying homage as Ministers, musicians, and other eminent persons lined up at her Kotturpuram residence from dawn.

The body of Srimati Subbulakshmi was consigned to flames at the Besant Nagar cremation ground at 5.30 p.m. V. Murali, grand nephew of her husband, T. Sadasivam, performed the last rites.

The body was taken in a funeral van from her house at 4.30 p.m. The van reached the cremation ground at 4.45 p.m. A team of 12 policemen gave a ceremonial gun salute.

Conveying his condolences, the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, said: "She was born in music and lived in music. In the end, she changed to become the music of God. The greatest good that she has done to the country is that through her music, she has made us all good human beings."

After his arrival from the airport, the President, accompanied by the Tamil Nadu Governor, Surjit Singh Barnala, drove straight to M.S.'s residence.

Mr. Kalam presented the family members a poem written by him in memory of the musician.

Earlier, in a condolence message in New Delhi, Mr. Kalam, said, "In her passing away, we have lost an incomparable music exponent of our time. Her contribution to music, particularly, Carnatic music, was unique. Her singing spread divine happiness and peace to millions of heart hearts around the world."

`End of an epoch'

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, who paid her respects in the afternoon, told the family members that the passing away of M.S. signified the end of an epoch. "There has never been a person like her, and there never will be," she said.

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, a wreath was laid by Raj Bhavan staff.

M.S.'s body, draped in a rust-brown woollen blanket, was brought from St. Isabel's Hospital where she died last night, to Kotturpuram around 5 a.m. By 8.30 a.m., the house was overflowing with politicians, singers, mridangists, musicians, film stars and playback singers.

The entire area wore a solemn look as musicians and artistes of varied genres passed through the narrow gate leading into the house and placed wreaths and garlands on the body. In one corner, near the entrance to the house, sat her two daughters — Radha Viswanathan in a wheelchair and Vijaya Rajendran on a bench by her side.

One of the early visitors was the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief, M. Karunanidhi, who came around 6.45 a.m. In his message, written in verse, he said: "The shower of music that soothed the earth has ceased. The melody wafts. It will continue, though the breath has stopped."

The Tamil Nadu Congress leader, G.K. Vasan, who followed, said: "Her music was a unifying force in the country. As long as there is music M.S. and her voice will live with us."

Sudha Raghunathan called her "the living god of Carnatic music." Lyricist Vairamuthu likened her to a "massive banyan tree that helped others grow under its shade" and recalled her munificence.

Lalgudi Jayaraman said: "Her bhakti and music was only matched by her great heart for charity." M. Balamuralikrishna said: "She is the first creator in south Indian music. Wherever there is music, melody and modulation, she will live."

The younger generation of musicians such as Mandolin U. Srinivas, P. Unnikrishnan, Nithyashree Mahadevan and Sashank, said they treated her with reverence. Nithyashree said: "We are inconsolable because we truly know she is irreplaceable."

Several sabhas have cancelled their programme and vocalist T.N. Seshagopalan has called for a unified tribute to the doyen of Carnatic music.