30th
July 2017.
Our
first visit after breakfast was to the MS Subbulakshmi Gallery. The Gallery is
inside the Sri Kanchi Mahaswami Vidya Mandir and the inside school atmosphere
looked like a temple. This building was inaugurated on 04th June 2010
his holiness is Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.
LOCATION: CLICK HERE
MAHASWAMI GALLERY
This
Gallery is on the right side the same Gallery in the Ground and first floor.
This has the portraits of Mahaswami and his wax images, and photos of
Sankaracharyar’s since 55 BC. A one lakh Rudraksha lingam is kept on the Ground floor.
MS SUBBULAKSHMI GALLERY
A
permanent gallery was set up for the
contribution she had done to the Kanchi Mutt and the Music. The Photos of M S
Subbulakshmi, with institutions and great personalities, the Musical instrument in metal as a gift She
received and her portraits & the statue are on display. Instead of writing
something I thought of reproducing the display of her life at the Gallery.
Bharat
Ratna
Dr
Smt M.S.Subbulakshmi
The
singing legend lives on
1916-20014
As an artist extraordinaire, MS had the unique ability to transform the singing
experience from mundane to the divine. A rich resonant timbre, complete sruti
arrangement, correct diction and raga bhava. It was a rare combination that created the legend. Unlike today’s
musicians trapped in external fineries. MS had an instinctive feel for the meaning
of the text and each word so aptly selected, stood out like a gem.
Subbulakshmi
or Kunjamma as she was fondly called, was the daughter of Madurai
Shanmukhavadivu, a veena player, with a violinist sister, a brother who played
the mridangam and the mellifluous environs of Madurai, singing came more
naturally to her than talking. So her first performance came at the age of ten and music became the
habit of a lifetime, as did awards and adulation.
After
her marriage in 1940, her husband and freedom fighter T Sadasivam, took charge
of her career. In fact, when she was conferred the Bharat Ratna in 1998, she
said ‘On this occasion, I cannot, but think of loving care and guidance I
received from my late husband, all through my life’
Despite
her husband’s support, M S was a feminist. Having breached the bastion of male
singers, She was happy to see an increasing number of women enrolling in music
colleges and singing in temple festivals. In 1968 when the Music Academy
honoured her with the Sangeetha Kalanidhi, she said, “In conferring this honour, the Academy has sought to honour
the momanhood of this country”.
While
Sitar maestro Pt Ravi Shankar popularised Hindustani classical music abroad, MS
introduced Carnatic music to the West. Her biggest Contribution to Carnatic music was the revival of kritis of the 15th-century composer, Annammacharya. She also acted in four films: Sevasadanam,
Sakuntalai, Savitiri and Meera.
After
Meera, Mahatma Gandhi picked her to sing
two of his favourite bhajans, ‘Vaishnava janato and Hari turn haro jan ki
bhir” After the film Meera, she decided to dedicate herself to classical
and devotional music. A Musician who bridged
the regional gap. MS sang in ten languages, be it Marathi abhanga, Hindi
bhajans, verses of Guru Nanak or Rabindra Sangeet.
MS
was indeed an icon who could bring the world to its knees, her renderings moved
violinist Yehudi Menuhin to tears. Ustad Bade Chulam Ali Khan called her
Surswaralakshmi Subbulakshmi, while
Helen Keller once said “You sing like an angel”
MS
Could captivate people with an occasional lift of an eyebrow and a beatific
smile meant not for the audience but for the divine. She once said, “Indian
music is oriented solely for divine
communication. If I have done something in this respect, it is entirely due to
the grace of the Almighty, who has chosen my humble self as a tool”.
MS
is not dead. She is alive in the temples, Suprabhatham, kritis and bhajans.
She
will remain in that divine Voice forever.
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