Smt.M.S. Subbulakshmi- The One “True Gnana Yogi”.

It has been properly observed that it is almost impossible to comprehend the infinite by the finite mind with its capabilities. I was introduced to the musical outpourings of M.S. by my mother at a very early age and followed her presence and musical contributions for the past six decades. I am trying to express the truly monumental multifaceted contributions and achievements of M.S. Everything said here is an inadequate statement of personal assessments of an admirer who had the good fortune to interact at a personal level with one of the truly “one of a kind” geniuses in their craft. Additionally she benefited countless number of fellow human beings through her creative genius.

            While highly technical analyses of her musical abilities and talents can be made to show her extraordinary perfection in various aspects of Carnatic music, like many geniuses her contributions are probably better studied and understood by the various totally different areas in which she had an extraordinary impact. Like Mahatma Gandhi (who I am convinced existed at various states of consciousness), M.S. I believe was another person conscious of these states of existence. Praising Kalidasa’s Sakutalam the eminent Max Mueller said “Say Sakuntala and all is said.” In a similar vein, say M.S. and you have touched on most that was great about South India and Carnatic music in the twentieth century. She transformed not only the music to greater heights but elevated the views and standards of South Indian society to nobler heights.

            Following the approach of T.J.S. George (author of “MS a life in music”), her career can be considered to have three distinct segments: The Shanmugavadivu period ending with the prestigious Kumbakonam Mahamaham concert in 1932; the cinema period from 1935 to 1945; and the Bhakthi period that began in 1944 with the release of the film Meera (in Tamil). These were seamless progressions in her personal, artistic, and spiritual development and reflected her inherent spiritualism. She gained her name and fame by just being herself throughout her life and career. Her entire career parallels those  great souls who sought the Brahman. Her Atman, through Nadopasana attempted to merge into Nadhabrahmam (with Bhakthi as the main vehicle). If her accomplishments are judged without prejudice she seems to have succeeded.

            Shanmugavadivu’s (mother of M.S.) home was in Hanumantharayar Koil Street near the Meenakshi temple in Madurai. The entire area was immersed in religious activities connected with the temple. M.S. was born there and grew up in an atmosphere of the stratospheric musical giants like Subbarama Bhagavathar, Ponnuswami Pillai, Dhakshinamurthy Pillai and Karaikudi Sambasiva Iyer. Leading musicians like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar  visited often, listened to her singing and Ariyakudi even taught her a song! Her mother was uncanny in her judgement that voice was what M.S. was suited for though M.S. had learnt and could play at concert levels, Veena and Mridangam. Shanmugavadivu only gave general instructions. M.S. was fascinated by the Thamburas kept in the corner of the house. Even then (as a child) she experimented with her voice and instruments: alternating, combining and varying the pitch. She practiced to perfection till the Swara she sang was indistinguishable from the Thambura’s Sruti. She could reproduce the complete gamakas played by passing Nadaswara Vidwans with her voice a rare feat very few accomplished vocalists would even attempt. She could comfortably sing in three octaves (an octave range higher than most) and her perfect adherence to Sruti (Sruti Suddham) and Swarasthanams enhanced her other musical nuances and abilities. In the twentieth century only Madurai Mani Iyer had this ability (in addition to Sarvalaghu Suddham). It was no surprise that the HMV record of the song Marakata Vadivu in Chenchuritti Raga at age 10 heralded the arrival of a major artist. She was in the good company of Flute Mali, Palghat Mani Iyer and Madurai Mani Iyer and had arrived at the top while very young in age (U. Srinivas and Ravi Kiran have joined their ranks among today’s artists). She started giving full fledged concerts and at age 17 was the youngest and first woman who gave a concert at Madras Music Academy.

 

            Incidentally, M.S. told me in answer to my query that she practiced “Akara” Sathaham for 5-6 hours/day throughout her life (everyday almost) and that may be the reason for her “Sruti Suddham” and “Swarastama Suddham.” To my knowledge she continued this till she was close to eighty in her life. It is no wonder that her music was divine and her perfect Sruti alignment was a source of constant amazement. She combined this mastery with an innovative flair which she exhibited to the right quantum. Veterans like Tiger Varadhachariar were impressed by M.S when she was barely 17. At the end of her first music academy concert Karaikudi Sambasivaiyer said, “child, you carry the Veena in your throat.”

 

            The cinema period of M.S. began with Sevasadanam in 1936 where the Himalayan and unimaginable talents of Papanasam Sivan and M.S. combined to produce mass popularity and public acclaim. This was followed by Sakunthalai (in which GNB and Ellis. R. Dungan joined M.S. and Sivan) which was a landmark movie for all times. The songs rendered by M.S. in those movies are exciting beyond description when heard even today! (As a historical note it was a very moving moment when her husband Sri. Sadasivam acknowledged and thanked Dungan who attended the M.S. Concert in Asia Society, NYC in 1966! Such grace and class was their hallmark throughout their lives).

 

            It is here we have to observe, admire and realize what M.S. did in following her pinnacle reaching success. Instead of continuing on to be a movie idol with all its trappings, she truly shifted gears and gravitated towards Bhakthi as her vehicle in her quest to reach Brahman through Nadopasana. In terms of her concert career she was at her technical best by this time. Even the worst critics and musicians (mostly out of jealously) could only resort to sniping comments like she lacks the imaginative approaches of the leading male musicians etc. The doyen, late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer simply said they were jealous because they cannot do what she did! Her Laya Suddham, Sruti Suddham, Aksharasuddam and fidelity to the compositions and the composer’s intents could not be questioned! Of course those who knew her were aware of her intense efforts to learn and understand anything she sang from practically every angle. Besides the amount of effort and practice she devoted to such efforts were astounding for an artist at her level. Her rendering of Sankarabharanam and Nadanamakriya ragas were the Gold standard by which other renderings were judged. In any case, the appreciation of the listeners who flooded her concerts was proof of the pudding.

            Her shift in emphasizing Bhakthi started with her movie role starring as Meera. Not only was it an acclaimed hit throughout India, it enabled her to merge into the essence of Carnatic music just like Meera was united with the Godhead. She truly became the one musician in India who could truly render compositions in various Indian languages by different composers in an array of Indian languages in an authentic fashion. Even her renderings of various Bhajans, Subrapathams etc. appealed to many musically as well as devotional hymns once she decided that Bhakthi was an inherent element in Carnatic music. Her concert style transformed itself as an outlet for not just the well known composers like the Trinity, but various early Tamil mystical poets, women saints, classical Sanskrit compositions, etc. As a matter of fact her renderings of Bharathiyar’s and Papanasam Sivan’s compositions are in a class by themselves. In this period of her musical career the pinnacle was her concert at the U.N. in 1966. In that U.N. Concert she rendered the compositions of the major composers in Carnatic music in different languages and her Sankarabharanam was authentic Carnatic music at its best. She astounded the world audience with a rendering totally wedded to classicism. She rendered Bhakthi oriented compositions also and topped it all of by rendering an English composition specially composed by the Sri C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) and, “Maitrim bajata”, by Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekhara Swamigal. It elicited a standing ovation by U.N. representatives from all over the world! It definitely was a high point for Carnatic music and India.

            M.S. was not only well disciplined but her spontaneity can be judged from the following instances. She was in the middle of a song in a concert when (Prime Minister of India at the time) Jawaharlal Nehru entered the auditorium. Instantly she sang “Oli Padaitha Kanninai Va va va.” When she was singing a raga, ChembaiVaidynatha Bhagavathar walked in. She suddenly switched and sang “Karunachaya Enthuthamasau Krishna” the song with which Chembai used to conclude his concerts. He was so moved he had tears in his eyes and he later remarked “We all sing for money. Only Subbulakshmi sings for the sake of music.”

            One of her admirers has said that M.S. was Saraswathi by birth, Lakshmi by name and Parvathi by marriage. He also said that the three Goddesses must have presided over her birth: and one bestowed Divine Melody, another wealth, and the third a charitable disposition. When Madurai Mani Iyer sang “Kapali” in Kapaleeswarar temple in Mylapore Papanasan Sivan remarked that the musical angels are holding him up and helping him sing. In the case of M.S. surely not only the music angels but angels of humanity in addition must have held her up. Raghu Balasubrahmanyan, my nephew, (to whom M.S. was attached very deeply) probably said it best. In a modification of what Einstein said about Gandhi, he told M.S. that in generations hence people would scarcely believe that a humanitarian and great musician like M.S. walked this earth. It probably sums up best the multifaceted simplicity and greatness of M.S. Mahatma Gandhi who noticed the concentration of M.S. when it came to “Bhakthi” observed: “She loses herself in Bhajan. To sing a Bhajan is one thing; to sing it by losing oneself in God is quite different.” Her rendition of “Teradiyegaratha’ in Pittsburgh temple in the seventies still remains the most moving rendering of Thyagaraja’s epic compositions that I have heard. Every time I hear it the whole scene described by Thyagaraja dances in front of my eyes and when the rendering ends the deeper meaning of the composition as expounded by    M.S. forces one into meditative contemplation.  

            M.S. said (accepting the Magsaysay award) Music itself had only one purpose – that of divine communication “If I have done anything in this respect, it is entirely due to the grace of the Almighty who has my humble self as a tool.” As T.J.S. George said:”A look at M.S. was enough to convince anyone she had found herself. One word occurred frequently in the language of those who met M.S. in her later years: “Glow”. An Aura of grace surrounded her.” We are fortunate to have witnessed the creative genius of M.S. flowering in our lifetime and enriching our knowledge and understanding of the human condition.