It is a very special day, a day to be remembered and cherished in every music lovers heart and other hearts too. She is an exemplar. God created her with a master plan in his mind and she lived her life till the last breath and minute uttering the names of the almighty, enchanted the world with her magical music. Every breath of hers was music and every utternace was filled with fragrance. Humbleness and devotion effusing from every pore in her body. Embodiment of sattwik qualities, music was her tapasya (penance). From Krishna Gana Sabha to UN concerts in Geneva, she kept her audience encapsulated in quality music. Statesman to President there was not a soul on this earth that would not love her music.
They were a divine couple together and sometimes it makes you think if Shiva- Parvathi themselves came down to show this world the depth of music and how it is also the path to reach the divine feet of God. Still thinking who this could be? None else other than the revered M.S. Subbalakshmi a.k.a Kunjamma. She was born on September 16, 1916 in a family with rich cultural and music values. Yet another moment to feel proud that we lived in her era of music.
The trinity composers have shown us that music can also be the path to reach God. While we never lived their days to realize and understand music as a path to salvation, we had an opportunity to watch this real time with M.S. M.S. both in real life and in reel life was bhakta Meera. Her music astounds the listeners with devotion and makes them levitate and feel in heaven. Her music was always devoid of gimmicks, excessive brigas and other frill work, the center piece was bhakti (devotion) and her path was to salvation. Her Suprabatham and Vishnu sahasranamam (1008 names of Vishnu) reverberates in every nook and corner of this world from Alaska to deepest Africa. People say she was born to sing Suprabatham (hymns sung to wake up Vishnu). She is a museum, excelled in music with impeccable perfection and dedication. From thumris, meera bhajans, trinity sahityams she rendered with absolute clarity, perfection and devotion. It won’t be an overstatement to call her the Bhatka Meera of Kali yuga. If I were ask to stay in an Island all by myself, I would take her Cd’s and Bagavatham books with me.
If you think Music was just the one aspect we got to experience from her, you are wrong. It was May of 1972, my parents got engaged and they were looking at M.S. to sing for their wedding reception. They approached her and she charged a premium in those days Rs. 25, 000 = equivalent to 500 USD today. She asked my grandfather to send the check to Rameshwaram temple renovation fund and paid the accompaniments out of her pocket for the concert. She was kind enough to sing the cradle song for my brother when he was born a year later. Again it won’t be an overstatement to call her the “Kali Yuga Karnan” (A character in the epic Mahabaratha who was the epitome of philanthropy). She was committed to supporting the community raising funds through her concerts. She kept very little for her and donated all or at times most of the proceeds to noble cause.
It is rare to have a husband with similar thoughts and qualities. This diamond was shaped and made a jewel on the crown. Sadasivam mama was responsible for shaping up M.S.’s career right from the days of Meera and Sakunthala. He was running a magazine supporting India’s independence movement and the couple spent all their earnings and savings in spreading the message of Independence through Satyagraha (non-violence). Confluence of thoughts, ideas, may it be philanthropy or songs for the concert, MS and Sadasivam had Ekahrudayam (one heart) and were made for each other. Who else could they be other than Shiva and Parvathi?
Well here is another facet of the genius’s life. She was also a propellant of Independence and the couple joined hands with Mahatma Gandhiji, the father of our nation to play their part service the country through music. There was not an ounce of selfishness in the couple and they lived an absolutely, truthful, transparent life.
The Kalki magazine was started to fuel the spirit of independence among the youth and even today is stands out as a quality magazine propagating values.
The couple had a very strong Jupiter in their horoscopes too. They had the blessings of all saints from Ramana Maharishi to Pope John Paul. They were given a private interview with Pope John Paul on their way back from UN concert. Their association with Kanchi mutt and the Senior Pontiff was well known. They moved every step ahead with the blessings of the Saint of Kanchi, when God is with us who can be against us? Let me enunciate another incident in their life. The couple had sold their assets including their only house to fund their magazine, Kalki. M.S. was donating all the proceeds from her concerts too and their financial situation was worrying the public. This news had reached the ears of Kanchi Paramacharya (Saint of Kanchi) and he thought through the plan and summoned the couple. In the meantime he had called on the RPG group to promote a few devotional albums on Tirupathi Balaji (Vishnu) and picked the songs himself that would go into the multi-volumed Balaji Pancharatnamala. He requested RPG group to pay the maximum they could to M.S. to sing those songs. When the couple came down to see the saint, he divulged the plan about the albums and took a promise that they would enjoy the royalty from the proceeds of the album. But the couple refused to accept the royalty and donated the proceeds of the albums to TTD (Balaji temple @ Tirupathi). The proceeds from the royalty is in excess of INR 6 crores today. Even today every pie from the sale of the album reaches the temple. Isn’t there a limit to share? Well her hands have turned red from just giving and face pink from the humble smile.
Titles, awards, and money poured, but not an ounce of arrogance to be seen, there was only karunyam (kindness) in her eyes. She was a Karma Yogi in every respect. Her duty was to sing her way to God in the meantime she got into our hearts. She had given herself in every respect to the community and in service of God. She is sandalwood (fragrance wood) and she gave music, gave wealth and gave herself for the society. One could see her shed tears in public when the Saint of Kanchi attained Moksha (salvation). Her health had taken downturn and she was very selective in giving concerts. Her last concert was a fund raiser to the Kanchi Saint Mani Mandapam and what a blessing! Her last number was Maitrim Bhajata, a song written by Kanchi Saint for asking for world peace. The nightingale sang for the last time in public and soon after that Sadasivam mama passed away. There was no concert of her without Sadasivam mama.
She is an avatar, she is a dictionary for music listeners and lovers, she is a role model in every aspect of life, and finally she is a university there is a lot one can learn from her.
Thanks for letting me share my thoughts here. I am sure she has a lot more qualities to be appreciated and revered. Well if you are interested to hear her music or read more about here do a google on M.S. Subbalakshmi and engage yourself in eternal happiness.
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