Hours of musical magic

Humility and celebrity status rarely go together. But for M S Subbulakshmi, it was a way of life. I deem writing down this incident an honour and a rare privilege. It will always emerge foremost in my mind whenever there is a mention of MS, the phenomenal celebrity who was moored to humility despite being one of India’s most-revered musicians.

In September 1960, my father, Navaratna Rama Rao (83), was critically ill and bedridden. MS’s concert had been arranged at Bangalore Town Hall on the eve of her 45th birthday, and for the first time, my father, an ardent fan and a family friend of MS, had to miss the grand occasion. He had to be satisfied going through encomiums in the newspapers that were lavishly showered on her performance, and replete with glorious adjectives which the critics used to describe her rendition.

The iconic singer and her husband, T Sadasivam, who never failed to visit my father whenever they happened to be in Bengaluru, came to see him the next day. Father expressed his disappointment over missing the concert. With her characteristic humility, MS at once pacified father with the moving words: “For heaven’s sake! Please don’t feel bad about it. You are not expected to trouble yourself in your condition just to attend my concert. If you like to hear me sing, I shall sing for you here and now. Just tell me what you want me to sing!”

It was now the turn of Sadasivam. He moved fast to get the accompanying violinist and percussion artistes to postpone their return trip to Madras and join MS at this unscheduled ‘concert’. Thus the stage was set in no time for the most unique concert in our house, with all the near and dear ones of our family assembled to receive the soothing balm of music from the celestial singer.

She opened her rendition with father’s favourite, Vishnu Sahasranama, absorbing us instantly into the vortex of divine melody, and followed it by various soul-stirring compositions such as Bhaja Govindam, Sriranga Puravihara, Dasana Madiko Enna, Pibare Rama Rasam, Mamava Pattabhirama and other selected devotional songs in deference to father’s wishes. She concluded the two-hour ‘concert’ with Meera bhajans.

Her mellifluous voice, a blend of emotional and aesthetic appeal, cast a magic spell on father’s tired and pain-stricken soul. His face seemed to radiate calmness that had eluded him for several months. His tears spoke volumes of his appreciation. In a choked voice he managed to express his gratitude.

Her humility knew no bounds as she held his hands and said that all she needed were his blessings, which she always valued. Sadasivam aptly voiced the feelings of everyone present there when he told MS, “Your rendition here was much better than the one at Town Hall yesterday!” which MS acknowledged by smiling benevolently at father. Father seemed to live and re-live this episode, recalling every bit of the musical glory, till he breathed his last a few days later.