Subbulakshmi: Hari Awan Ki Awaz

M. S. Subbulakshmi is one of the foremost musicians of India. As a first-time foreign listener put it: "M.S. does not sing. She makes divinity manifest." She sings here a bhajan (religious song) of Meera in Hindi (she has played the role of Meera in the film portraying the life of that devotee-poetess of the 16th century who, though queen of a Rajput state, abandoned the court and palace and sang her soul-stirring songs on Krishna amidst the holiest and lowliest).
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (Tamil: மதுரை சண்முகவடிவு சுப்புலட்சுமி, popularly known as M.S.) (1916 - 2004) was a renowned Carnatic vocalist. Her mother tongue was kannada. She was widely honored, praised and awarded. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. She was born to a musical family, in the temple town of Madurai, situated in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. M.S. started learning Carnatic music from a very early age and released her first recording at the age of 10. At 17, the child prodigy made her debut at the Madras Music Academy. Since then, she performed countless musical forms in different languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Sanskrit and Kannada. M.S. became famous as a film actress. Her most memorable role was Bhaktha Meera in "Meera" (1945). The movie had M.S. sing the famous Meera bhajans. It was the Hindi version of that film that introduced her to people in North India. She was described as the "one great woman artist in India who has moved the hearts of millions with her songs". The film revealed yet another aspect of her genius - she was a superb singer of Hindi bhajans. Those renditions by M.S. continue to enthrall listeners to this day. Following the success of the film she quit films and turned wholly to concert music. In total she has acted in five films spanning a decade. M.S. travelled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places as India's cultural ambassador. Her concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York; the UN General Assembly on UN day in 1966; the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982; and at the Festival of India in Moscow in 1987 were significant landmarks in her career. While Lata Mangeshkar called her Tapaswini (the Renunciate), Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan termed her Suswaralakshmi (the goddess of musical notes), and Kishori Amonkar labeled her the ultimate eighth note or Aathuvaan Sur, which is above the seven notes basic to all music.
Listen to the beautiful voice of Subbulakshmi and enjoy!

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[vpadmana]

FYI, Smt. MS Subbulakshmi's mother tongue is not Kannada. Not sure where you got that from (Wikipedia I guess... which is incorrect - probably posted by some overzealous Kannadiga ;-). She's from the temple town of Madurai deep inside Tamil Nadu. Her mother's name is Shanmukhavadivu, who is also Tamil.

But language aside, a great singer.. no.. a Saint.

[johnxxx20000]

Thank you for the information!

[rnandkumar]

Please note that the mother tongue of this great singer was not Kannada but Tamil.

[samaganam]

Amma's Bhajans are too much,no words at all.So much love in it.Jeez!!!

[unique19890]

During a pause, a woman comes up to the stage to offer flowers, with tears spilling down her cheeks. There is rapt silence for the two hours of the recital. Then a roar of thunder. The standing ovation continues, the applauding listeners follow the artiste as she makes her way out of the hall, down the staircase, and into the car on the street... "

[unique19890]

Here's an article about her performance in Moscow, youtube won't let me paste the url,"The year 1988, the place Rachmaninoff Hall, Moscow. M. S. Subbulakshmi sings a resonant Kalyani, with the nuanced depth that would move a diehard Mylapore connoisseur. But the packed hall of Russian listeners, some of them experts in western music as performers, scholars and students, are mesmerised by the vocal magic. To most of them, this is the first exposure to Indian, and certainly Carnatic music.

[suryanila53]

M.S. Amma comes from Tamil Nadu Proper Tanjore as she is our relative. She is pure Tamilian Brahman Iyer married Sadashivam , he is our close relative AMMA herself is DIVINE GIFTED WITH A DIVINE VOICE

[surya8100]

I think according to my knowldge her mother tounge is nt kannada, am also a kannadiga. chances are toooooooo less for kannada as her Mt., if it is ture i cant stop my happiness. i dono from wer tis guy got this infomation, she ws a karnatic musician.

[srujanmims]

HEAVENLY!

[morpheusnape]

@horshodg yes that's probably right. Pa is varjit in Hindolam and so it is not Hindolam. "Dadur mor papiha bole" line sounds like Hindolam/Malkauns.

[horshodg]

@morpheusnape Sounds like Pilu of Hindustani music to me.

[morpheusnape]

Is it Hindolam? Her diction of the language or clarity of sahityam is impeccable

[crazycsa]

Namaste Amma , amazing is a small word for you :)