The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Legend in her lifetime

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Monday, Dec 20, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Legend in her lifetime

Sir, — M.S. Subbulakshmi was undoubtedly a legend in her lifetime. Her exemplary life showed that it was possible to attain a higher level of existence while leading the life of a grihastha.

According to the Indian philosophy, one can attain moksha through bhakti yoga, karma yoga or gnana yoga even while one is part of this world. M.S. combined all three through her soul-stirring devotional music.

L.S. Vishwanath,
Pondicherry

Sir, — A.S. Raman, former Editor, Illustrated Weekly, wrote in an article: "For her [M.S.], music continues to be what it has always been; an act of worship. To hear her music is to make oneself acceptable to the gods. She has by her total involvement in the abstraction called music demonstrated that music is not what merely pleases the ear, or appeals to the heart or stimulates the intellect: it is something more, something that makes one see God face to face."

B. Dharani,
Chennai

Sir, — I am reminded of an anecdote involving a musician whose forte was the poignant rendering of the Psalm. In one of the rural Church gatherings, he rendered this to the appreciation of all. He then challenged any other person to render it better. A faltering old man came up and sang the same Pslam. There was not one person without a wet eye in the congregation. The musician admitted that while he knew his music, the old man knew his Maker. Similar devotion characterised M.S.' renderings.

N. Dharmeshwaran,
Bangalore

Sir, — M.S. singing maithrim bhajata with her eyes closed, hands playing the cymbals ever so softly and gently raising them in prayer was a sight to be cherished forever.

T.V. Krishnamurthy,
Chennai

Sir, — During the 69th birthday celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the Swami requested M.S. to speak. She declined saying she did not know what to speak. Sai Baba supported her and led her to the mike. She prayed briefly with folded hands. The sight of the Swami extending his compassion to a soul full of compassion was ecstatic.

M.C. Pramila,
Chennai

Sir, — M.S. tied the audience to its seat in the United Nations with her melodious voice. On this occasion, she wore a blue colour sari. After this performance, the particular shade of blue came to be called the `M.S. blue.'

Hema Govindarajan,
Chennai

Sir, — Whenever she was in Delhi, M.S. visited my father, musicologist T.S. Parthasarathy. On one such occasion, my two-year-old daughter was present. M.S. casually asked her what she wanted. Spontaneously my daughter asked her to sing Sambho Mahadeva. A smiling M.S. sang the whole song for her. That must have been perhaps the only occasion when M.S., who performed for thousands, sang for a single-person audience of two years.

Vijaya Sridharan,
Chennai

Sir, — In 1962, M.S. was present at the Kanchi Mutt in Kumbakonam where the Paramacharya was performing ekadasi puja. A nondescript young girl of 10 sang a kriti in bhairavi. Moved by her music, the Paramacharya asked her to sing another number. She stunned everyone by rendering Bhavayami Raguramam. M.S. embraced the girl and enquired who her guru was. The parents of the girl were too poor to engage a music teacher. Immediately, M.S. came forward to educate her and promote her talent.

S. Dandapani,
Mysore

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