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Thank you for the music
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The Queen of Music had moved us to the very depths of our souls, writes J. VASANTHAN
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WE WERE a group of devil-may-care young men and we were having a riotous party that day. The air was blue with our inebriated humour, as we cackled over our own witticisms. The friend whose house we had chosen for the occasion happened to have an excellent record player, and it spewed forth rock and jazz music that competed with our own vociferous frivolity. It was pandemonium.
A leavening influence
And then suddenly somebody put on an M.S. Subbulakshmi record. The melodious voice began mildly, and came sinuously creeping towards us. It gradually permeated the atmosphere and edged towards us like a cat on velvet. And before we knew what was happening, it had seeped through our skins and was whispering in our bones. The jokes ceased, the laughter dwindled out, and conversation came to an end. There was a tingling silence which the haunting voice filled with moments of glory. As they say, music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.
We were drugged with music and our limbs were heavy. It was as though we had eaten of the lotus fruit. And when the final melodious notes had throbbed and quivered and come to an end, we still lay there overwhelmed by the impact. The Queen of Music had moved us to the very depths of our souls.
We rose like men dreaming and started trudging home. And as we walked, the beautiful voice was still with us, gambolling along by our side, filling our being and echoing in the chambers of our hearts.
That was many years ago, but the magic continued to cast a spell on us as we grew old, and on our children and grandchildren.
Stage presence
Unlike many other singers M.S had a pleasing presence too. The saying `singers should be heard not seen' did not apply to her. Her charm lay not only in her voice, but also in her stage presence. Her face had a beauty that was ageless.
It was her face that arrested one at first. Add to this her graceful demeanour on stage and her utter humility and you got a picture of a remarkably gracious lady. And when the lips parted in song, the lady was divine.
Screen Goddess
I first saw her on screen as a young and beauteous heroine in `Sakunthalai'. Another great singer, G.N Balasubramanian, played Dhushyantha. M.S and G.N.B made a very handsome pair indeed. There was not a young heart that did not miss a beat when they broke into that famous duet, "Madananga Sundara rupa - Manamohananga Anenge".
Later, she played Narada in a few films. Her innocent face and straight look hardly suited the wily Narada. And then came `Meera'. She winged her way into our hearts like a gentle breeze with `Katrinile Varum Geetham'. Perhaps Shakespeare could describe it best. "It came over my ear like the sweet sound / that breathes upon a bank of violets/stealing and giving odour". Even today when this song comes on in the T.V or radio, life comes to a standstill as everyone pauses to hear the song in its entirety. Many of the films in which she starred are no longer seen, and have been forgotten. But the songs in them are still remembered and enjoyed.
Stunning the audience
I saw her in person for the first and last time in 1977 when she song at a concert for the benefit of The American College. The Lakshmi Sundaram Hall was packed to full capacity. And when the frail, dainty old lady came on the stage in a slow, hesitant walk, the audience went wild, standing up and cheering lustily, while she gently acknowledged the greetings. It was one of the most emotional scenes I had ever seen. And it was something a person could never forget. And when she started to sing in a voice that was mellower than in the Meera days, it was an unforgettable experience too.
There are many musicians who can dazzle you with their virtuosity. They make you aware of their mastery of the art. But M.S was among the few (the very few, alas) who could tug at your heartstrings and make you aware of yourself.
So let us thank God for the music, and for the one and only Madurai Shanmugavadivu Subbulakshmi.
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Metro Plus
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Chennai
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