Divinity in her voice

Centenaries, as significant as they are, don't come bigger or more important than this.

Bharat Ratna Dr MS Subbulakshmi's 100th birth anniversary on September 16 is occasion to celebrate not just her achievements in becoming the greatest torch bearer for Carnatic music, but also, more importantly, for her pivotal role in taking Indian classical music in its entirety to the world stage.

It won't really be out of place to imagine the enchanting resonance from her golden voice as a constant companion alongside our country's birth and rise during her active years.

Treading new ground and simultaneously leading the way, MS (as she was often referred to) was born to a modest, musical family in Madurai and became the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award way back in 1974. To be then honoured with the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1998, becoming the first musician to be in that league at the time, apart from so many other recognitions in between and after, makes this remarkable life story all the more fabled.

The world, it seems, has always been in a state of submission to MS' unparalleled divinity and soul connection. She has the distinction of waking up millions of Indians across the globe to a new dawn with her enchanting and inspiring Suprabhatam. Her voice remains as young and divine as ever.

Where a fulfilled life in music alone would've been astonishing enough, MS also found acceptance and success in films. Although she will be known more prominently for her role as Meera, her courage to be part of an unconventional social drama Sevasadanam in 1938, which was critically acclaimed for advocating social reforms, cannot be overlooked.

Hers was a life of supreme devotion and bhakti – to music, to god, her gurus and her husband. It was superior just for the fact that it was simple and full of heart. Perhaps that's why she was not as renowned as a teacher with lots of disciples, as should have been the norm. My own guru, Prabha Rao, who is one of MS Amma's ardent admirers and a renowned music teacher in her own right, always believed that bhavam cannot be taught. It's one thing to train disciples on perfecting other complexities of classical music, but bhavam can only come from within, from devotion. You are either born with it, or you develop it through self-realisation and practice.

Celebrating a life

On the 16th, she would have turned 100 years old. Considering the importance of this milestone, Shanmukhananda Fine Arts of Mumbai (SFA), in association with Sangeet Natak Akademi, will host a week-long centenary festival of arts and culture to commemorate her life works. SFA has released a printed handbook to accompany the event, which includes her rare photographs.

The grand celebration will see a host of artists – with no distinction between Hindustani and Carnatic music and ensuring that dance forms are not isolated – grace the stage.

Girija Devi, Aruna Sairam, Kishori Amonkar, Vyjayanthimala and Yamini Krishnamurthy among others, will receive the 'Dr MS Subbulakshmi Centenary Award'. SFA is also known to felicitate great gurus for their contributions.

In 2016, it will be the great ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakaram, who has mesmerised the world with his majestic performances and has also trained the modern great, known as Ghatam Karthik.

While all of the performances that have been lined up should be a visual and aural treat, the icing certainly is Kanyakumari's ensemble of 100 violins.

For Indian classical music lovers, especially the admirers of MS Amma, if there's any place to be the coming week, it has to be Shanmukhananda Fine Arts.