The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Transcendental music

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Thursday, Dec 16, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Transcendental music

Sir, — With the passing away of M.S. Subbulakshmi, we have lost one of our greatest ambassadors of culture and music. She glorified everything that is great about our culture — dedication, discipline, determination, devotion, sacrifice and service. Her music transcended all barriers of communication and made listeners the beneficiaries of an art revered, practised and perfected by the little girl, Kunjamma, from Madurai.

Raja Rao,
Vijayawada, A.P.

* * *

Sir, — P.B. Shelly said the sweetest songs come from the saddest thoughts but in the case of M.S., they came from sublime thoughts. She was not only ecstatic in her own devotion, but also transported listeners to great heights.

R. Vasudevan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — M.S. was gifted with the most melodious voice. The range, unfathomable depth and reach of her voice were unmatched. She had an almost divine capacity to keep any large audience spellbound anywhere, any time.

M. Vijayalakshmi,
Playa Vista, California

* * *

Sir, — While her mellifluous voice filled millions of hearts with ecstasy, her piety, exemplary modesty and simplicity touched everyone.

P.V. Sankaranarayan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — M.S.' voice could move mountains and mellow minds. She enthralled her audience to a point of such exhilaration that listeners felt they were by the side of God.

M.S. Venkateshwaran,
Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — The prophetic saying of Swami Vivekananda that he alone lives who lives for others was personified by M.S.

P.S.R.K. Timmaji Rao,
Kakinada, A.P.

* * *

Sir, — M.S. was the greatest singer, yet a student; honoured person, yet so humble; great humanitarian, yet so innocent.

Mallika Gopal,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The composition, Maitreem bhajata by the Kanchi Paramacharya, for whom M.S. had tremendous respect, was her finale in most concerts. She was a person of immense bhakti. M.S. will live in the hearts of millions of music lovers and remain the driving force behind every young aspiring Carnatic musician.

V. Srividya,
Karaikal

* * *

Sir, — I had the opportunity of attending the Sivarathri puja performed by the Paramacharya at the Sanskrit College, Madras, in 1959. M.S. was seated in the front row. At the end of every kala puja, she sang devotional songs on Lord Siva.

There were no accompaniments — the rendering was purely a devotional experience. When I recollect the experience, even today I feel I was in devaloka that night.

S. Nagarajan,
Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — In Meera, enacted by M.S., the saint-poetess believed that she was the reincarnation of Radha of yore, and became one with Lord Krishna after a long spiritual search for Him. M.S., the saint-singer of our times, has also reached Him after 70 long years of single-minded devotion.

Shanthi Natarajan,
Hyderabad

* * *

Sir, — Such was her rendition of songs in Meera that wherever she went in Rajasthan, the village folk prostrated before her. Gandhiji wanted her to sing Ramdhun. On learning that she had not practised the dhun, he wanted her to just read the dhun!

M. Rajaraman,
Pondicherry

* * *

Sir, — Emperor Akbar, it is said, went barefoot to meet Meerabai. Our own scientist President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, led the nation in paying the last respects to the modern day Meera. Besides being a singer par excellence, M.S. was a wonderful human being. Her soul-stirring voice had the unique ability to move connoisseurs and laypersons alike.

Anand Gopal,
Pune

* * *

Sir, — A large amount of what M.S. earned as a musician, she gifted away to charitable causes. It is difficult to find people who are so liberal with their money. She was so simple that at weddings, even if a child of five asked her to sing a favourite song she would readily oblige.

A.M. Rajah,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Multitudes of people, with no knowledge of Carnatic music, have been enthralled by the divine voice of M.S. A supreme example in simplicity and modesty, she will remain alive for generations to come through her immortal voice.

Veda Iyer,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The saint composer, Tyagaraja, himself was so exasperated by the pretensions of his time that he poured out his soul in his kriti: Teliyaledu Rama bhakti margamunu. M.S. has shown us the bhakti marga in her divine music and her unbounded compassion.

R. Narasimhan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — The occasion was the `Ganapati utsava' at a friend's residence in Mysore in 1967. After a memorable performance, M.S. and her husband, T. Sadasivam, had dinner in which they were served a local delicacy, sandige. While they were partaking of the food, the couple made a request: "Rajaji likes this a lot, can you pack some for him so that we can carry them?" Such was their care and affection for friends.

Krishna Vattam,
Mysore

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