Kausalya Supraja Rama these three words remind you of legendary MS Subbulakhsmi. Even the Lord Balaji gets up after hearing the suprabhatam of the great singer. Subbulakshmi was born in Madurai on 16nth September , a 100 years ago. By the end of her nearly 70-year-long career, she had become the face of Carnatic music, taking the ancient, south-Indian tradition well beyond its select audience.
Legendary vocalist Subbulakshmi was honoured at the United Nations on India’s 70th Independence Day by a performance by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman at the world body’s iconic General Assembly.
Commemorations to mark Subbulakshmi’s birth centenary also included a photo exhibition at the UN headquarters by India’s Permanent Mission besides the cultural extravaganza here to coincide with the country’s Independence Day. A stamp was also released in her honour.
She sang in Europe, North America and at the United Nations General Assembly. Her voice, which was the stuff of countless, often exclusive, classical concerts, also awoke devout Hindu households across the country with perfect renditions of Sanskrit hymns.
Cultivating that voice was hard. Musicians who trained with her told musicians they trained this story: Subbulakshmi would begin her day early, around 6 am, with a fluffy idli or a thin dosa, and a steaming cup of filter coffee. Then she would sing. She’d make sure her pitch was in tune with the long-necked tamboura as she plucked at its strings. Once she was satisfied, she would wander around the house, still singing and return, sometimes hours later, to find that her voice was still attuned to the instrument.
Subbulakshmi died on December 11, 2004. She was 88. You were her fan decades ago. You will be her fan till you listen to her. She may not be here, but voice will be here for ever.
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi was more than a gifted classical singer. She was more than an example of a brilliantly crafted career in classical music. She was a rockstar in her own arena.
