The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `A colossal loss to music'

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

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`A colossal loss to music'

By S. Vijay Kumar and M.R. Aravindan

By S. Vijay Kumar and

M.R. Aravindan

MADURAI, DEC. 12. The narrow congested lane leads to an old fashioned house on the Hanumantharayan Street in Madurai. A `veena' carved out of a stone is part of the front elevation signifying that music has had a significant association with the house.

Bharat Ratna Madurai Shanmugavadivu Subbulakshmi, popularly known as MS, was born here on September 16, 1916.

Her illustrious parents were no doubt entwined with music. While her father, an advocate, was an ardent music lover, her mother was a `veena' musician. Perhaps the most respected and charismatic vocalist of Carnatic music, MS spent her early days in this tiny house learning music from her mother.

The demise of MS is seen as the end of an era in Indian classical music. "It is a colossal loss to Carnatic music which cannot be compensated. She was the first musician to receive Bharat Ratna, highest civilian award in the country, which is a pride to the Temple City," says M.P.N. Ponnusamy, a renowned Nadaswaram Vidwan in Madurai.

"We have had a long association with MS, fondly called "Kunju" in family circles. During one of her visits, she sang the famous `Gandhimathi Keerthanai' in `Hemavathi Raga' for me which I later played on nadaswaram."

Parur M. Ganesan, one of the senior most musicians in the city and a family friend of MS, says, "Born in a family with a strong musical background, MS, during her initial days, was trained in music by her mother Shanmugavadivu. Later, she was under the tutelage of maestros such as GNB, and Semmangudi."

Any music exponent, who comes to the city, will definitely pay a visit to the house of MS. Thus she had a chance to interact with stalwarts of her times and this helped her gain minute details of Carnatic music, he said.

"Her golden voice, in-depth knowledge in music and devotion to the art were key traits that helped her to touch dizzy heights in the music world," says Mr. Ganesan.

The nightingale had great respect for Goddess Meenakshi. "In fact, in every concert, particularly in Madurai, MS used to sing `Sarojadala Netri' (Sankarabaranam Raga), a kirthana composed by Syama Sastrigal," he said.

Among the prominent places in Madurai, where MS had presented concerts include the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam and the Gandhi Musuem.

In 1972, she was conferred the title of `Madura Kala Praveena' by the Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Samajam. In 1981, she presented a performance at the Gandhi Museum, which was attended by the then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran. Though, this is said to be her last performance in Madurai, there are no valid records to confirm this.

`A fitting gesture'

Musicians, industrialists and politicians in this part of the State are of the view that constructing a memorial for MS at her birthplace would be a fitting tribute not only to the legendary vocalist but also to Carnatic music.

Mr. Ponnusamy, whose brother M.P.N. Sethuraman, and grandfather, M.K.M. Ponnusamy Pillai, were noted Nadaswaram Vidwans of their times, says all music lovers should strive for the memorial. "The Government should identify a site near the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple for the memorial," he says.

The former Assembly Speaker, P.T.R. Palanivelrajan, recalling a music concert of MS in 1929 at Kalligudi on the occasion of his father, P.T. Rajan, becoming a Minister, welcomes the idea of a memorial for MS. The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, S. Rethinavelu, the All-India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam leader, N. Sethuraman, also echoed the same views.

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