A Divine Voice

I had heard a lot about her, had thought and knew of her as a great component of the Carnatic form of Indian classical music. A singer said to be beyond comparison. I had not heard too many of her renditions; only had a vague remeberance that I had watched a movie some ten years back in which she had played the lead role and also sung all the songs. I love to hear Indian classical music whenever I can, Bhimsen Joshi, or instrmental like Chaurasia, Zakhir Hussain, Ravi Shankar etc. But it was only after her recent demise that I kept readng glowing tributes to the legendary singer who came across as a humble and brilliant performer. Then the day after her demise or two days later Doordarshan telecasted the movie Meera; in which she plays the role of Meera - an intro is shown where Sarojini Naidu is praising the effort and characterisation of Meera by MS Subbulakshmi. The movie actually portrays the life of Meera, the unparalleled devotee of Krishna. MS plays the role with aplomb and comes across as a gracious, sweet person who has such a lovely timbre in her voice, so full of devotion - a spiritual qulaity that I have heard of or read about again and again; it seems like she is indeed transformed into Meera herself. A great peronality indeed has passed away - who has given music the spiritual magical touch. If I am not mistaken, Suprabhatam and Bhajaa Govindam that you get to hear in every local temple are her wonderful renditions ... Let such people take birth again and again - the age-old traditions and civilizational values - the very roots or the core and the ethos thrives because of such geniuses.