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My first concert with Amma R.K. Shriramkumar

Lakshmi and Saraswati are in perfect unison in an enchanting oneness of sruti. The sruti box too blends well and Nada pervades. In this heavenly space

springs a mesmerising experience, ecstatic and blissful – an experience that has brought joy to many, enriched lives and enlightened many a soul. M.S. Subbulakshmi’s presence, contribution and impact in society, the musical arena in our country in particular, stand unparalleled. Her music, replete with the power of purity, dignity and integrity, strengthened artistic bonds across India, transcending caste, language, region and religion. The realm of Carnatic music has seen many great musicians. However, with the advent of Amma, as she was addressed with reverential fondness, it crowned itself with global glory. Amma dedicated her life and soul to the cause of preserving, propagating and promoting this beautiful art form in its entire splendour. Plentiful are the reasons why she shines as the Pole Star of Carnatic music. Numerous are the spaces where her music is heard. Unshakeable was her dedication and conviction to present blissful music, faithful to every detail of its form, nuance, aesthetic and grandeur. Innumerable are the causes that she has lent her voice for. Countless are the recipients of her philanthropy. Immeasurable was her love and affection to humanity. Unfathomable was her psyche that was deeply rooted in tradition, exuding the fragrance of true devotion. Many were the hurdles that she encountered in her lifetime, taking all into her stride, shedding the unsavory. Intriguing was her trait to worry needlessly. Fascinating was her penchant for simplicity and inspirational was her persona of humility, charm and goodness. Amma’s music was all encompassing in nature. Blessed with one of the best voices ever in the history of Indian

music, her efforts to keep it resplendent all through her life was remarkable. Not a day would pass by when Amma would not sing, to the nectarous drone of her twin tamburas Lakshmi and Saraswati, the varisai in Mayamalavagaula and Sankarabharanam. Her passion to learn and absorb the best from the doyens of the Carnatic world was incredible. She also embraced, into her fold, the music of the north, having been guided by many a veteran of the Hindustani world. Internalisation was her hallmark. From whomsoever she learnt, she made it her own, with her indelible stamp of flawlessness blended with naturalness.

Amma’s concerts were marked by a splendid selection of items, covering a wide gamut of ragas, talas, compositional forms, manodharma aspects, vaggeyakaras, poets and languages. Every composition was rendered with utmost care and fidelity to the music, to the lyric – its enunciation and emotion – and to the complete experience of the oneness of sangeeta and sahitya. Her sruti consciousness was immaculate; it was the trademark of her music. Her articulation of the voice was a visual and aural treat that served as an ideal to be followed, especially by practitioners of vocal music. Amma’s interests to dwell deeper into the pronunciation and meaning of each word of the composition helped her tremendously with her diction and emotive appeal. Thus her rendering of a kriti, a padam or a bhajan would be true to its form and feel. Her raga alapanas had the perfect amalgam of gamakas, suddha swaras, brigas, jarus, different kalapramana and most importantly raktitva. Her niraval and kalpana swara singing never sacrificed the

Internalisation was her hallmark

Her sruti consciousness was the trademark of her music. Her articulation of the voice

was an ideal to be followed

“

.”

M.S. Subbulakshmi in concert. Radha Viswanathan, Gowri Ramnarayan (vocal support), R.K. Shriramkumar (violin), Trichur Narendran (mridangam) and H.P. Ramachar (khanjira) at the Nehru Centre, Mumbai (1992)

“ ”

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raga swaroopa. The cheerful and encouraging interactions with her accompanists on stage brought forth her spirit of camaraderie. Bhajans, abhangs, shabads, Rabindra Sangeet and the like were also part of her concert repertoire. She presented them in all their correctness and enjoyable devotional fervour. On special occasions she even rendered compositions in Urdu, Bengali, English, Arabic and Japanese. The count of composers whose compositions she has presented in her performing career is almost 200, that is verily a pan-Indian experience, and one of its kind. Amma’s music opened the eyes of the world to look up to Carnatic music. By her music she has touched an emotional chord in many across the world. Her all embracing humble attitude, unflinching devotion to the art and her heavenly renditions make her matchless and adorable forever. Many may not be aware that Amma was a wonderful teacher. A stickler for perfection and meticulousness, she would grasp every nuance. She would impart with utmost detail and watchfulness whether it was a special sangati in the kriti Sree Ganapatini that she had learnt from T. Brinda, or was avoiding an excessive gamaka contour of the gandhara in Todi, or a vallinam-mellinam in a bhajan, or even a silent pause between two phrases in a song. The afternoon music sessions at her home were memorable. Amma would ask me to play along as she sang. She would recall and render, from her wide repertoire, a few compositions and teach me the art of understanding and reproducing the compositions in all their beauty. She firmly believed that the effect would be wholesome when the violinist learnt the composition and played in tandem with her, shadowing each anuswara. Testimony to this was to listen to my guru V.V. Subramanyam playing the violin with Amma – it was absolutely overwhelming. Her reminiscences about her interactions with the who’s who in every walk of life were awe-inspiring.

Many were the occasions when I was blessed by her motherly concern. Amma would worry about practically everything – from imparting musical and life ideals, to consulting an astrologer about how my stars were when I lost my violin, to requesting the past president R. Venkataraman to advise me to get married soon, to find a safety-pin for my kurta after I donated my replaceable buttons to Semmangudi Mama, to wonder in anguish about my dislike for coffee, to make sure that I finished my dinner with sadam or cooked rice on an Amavasya day – she found a host of things to be anxious about me!

Having grown up with Amma’s music all my life, to have been associated with her, I was fortunate to learn so much from her, share many a concert platform with her. I was a beneficiary of her unconditional affection and care. Words are miserably inadequate to express my feelings of gratitude, happiness and honour as I recount these golden memories.

Years ago I received a telephone call from Vijay Siva to give me the news I had been asked to accompany MS Amma in a concert. As I was scheduled to accompany Vijay in a concert the same day, I declined the offer with sadness and hung up. Little did I realise that my good friend Vijay would call me again and admonish me in the toughest possible way. Graciously enough, he also arranged for another violinist to play for his concert in Madurai.

Elated that my dream was actually coming true, I called to inform MS Amma that I would be available to play for her on the 15th of April 1989 at Sankara Nethralaya. That was my first concert with MS Amma. The Goddess of Madurai was more than benevolent to her ardent devotee.

(The author is a senior violinist)

(Parts of this article were first published in the MS Centenary special edition of Shanmukha,

by Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Sabha, Mumbai)

M.S. Subbulakshmi with Radha Viswanathan (vocal support), R.K. Shriramkumar (violin), K.V. Prasad (mridangam) and T.H. Vinayakram (ghatam)