Cultural incongruence— Rahman paying tribute to MS

Will the Salzburg Music Festival call Madonna or Beyonce to represent Beethoven?  Will Nino Rota who composed haunting music for “Godfather” and Maurice Jarre for “Lawrence of Arabia, have been deputed to commemorate Chopin?

The legendary Carnatic musician MS Subbulakshmi’s centenary (1916-2004) has been celebrated since last year – with music festivals, young talent promotions, competitions and lecdems.

But none of these organisers thought of inviting a Bollywood chart buster to memorialize MS. The credit for announcing how "MS Subbulakshmi will be honoured on India’s 70th Independence Day, with a performance by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, at the United Nations’ iconic General Assembly" must be given to the Indian Mission in the US. Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin proudly tweets about the event. A press report chirps, “Jai Ho to echo in the UN assembly!” 

Why the UNO? Because this is the 50th year of MS Subbulakshmi’s performing in this august venue, the first and only Indian to do so until now. When MS suggested that classical Carnatic music may not be a Western audience’s cup of tea, and some lighter instrumental concert may be a better option, Pandit Nehru insisted, “I want you to present the most classical, most serious. Don’t compromise, don’t water down.” MS obeyed the Prime Minister. The old video shows the UN assembly erupting into thunderous ovations. The next morning, The New York Times declared, “Subbulakshmi’s vocal communication transcends words.”

Originally Carnatic vocalists Bombay Jayashree and Sudha Raghunathan were to commemorate this event. They were edged out by Rahman’s extravaganza.

No one can question globally acclaimed AR Rahman representing India anywhere in the world, on Independence Day or any other day. But what on earth connects the entertainment industry to MS Subbulakshmi? MS gave up films in 1947, after four mainly reformist ventures, to follow the path of the bhakti poets. Music was her satyagraha, her force of truth -- to exalt minds, serve humanity, seek the light. No one in the Indian government seems to have been struck by this incongruity.

Indian classical music is solo-oriented, it is all about improvisation. Rahman’s 40 Indian musicians make an orchestra. Fabulously rehearsed and phenomenal as his score maybe, it belongs to a different zone. What does it have to do with MS -- in form, style, genre, intention, aesthetics?

In her 1966 UN concert, MS advocated friendship among nations and world peace, with an anthem echoing values from the Upanishad- damyata (austerity), datta (charity), dayadhvam (compassion), qualities she practised in her own life.  

She would have cried “Jai ho!” if, instead of incurring the astronomical costs of transporting and hosting 40 musicians from India, the show had been held in Chennai, and the proceeds donated to her favourite charities -- healthcare and education.

MS did not neglect her own field -- the arts. She supported music schools and ageing artistes. She even raised funds for Hindustani musician Kesarbai Kerkar. And how did she memorialize the three revered maestros of Carnatic music? With concerts in Bombay and Calcutta she raised funds to buy and renovate the dilapidated homes of saint composers Tyagaraja and Syama Sastri in smalltown Tiruvarur. She built a small prayer hall on the scrap of land where composer Muthuswami Dikshitar’s home once stood. Now they belong to the community of musicians and music lovers. No fanfare, no publicity blitz.  

And Subbulakshmi’s old home in Madurai? A clutch of shops on a dank narrow lane. A sewing machine drones on as a tailor plies his trade over the exact spot where she was born.

The author is a playwright, theatre director, musician and journalist