Madurai home has no memories of MS

The Nightingale is no more but music and Madurai live on with the legend that was M.S. Subbulakshmi. But while her name travelled far and wi...

The Nightingale is no more but music and Madurai live on with the legend that was M.S. Subbulakshmi. But while her name travelled far and wide, the courtyards that must have echoed with her first notes bear no memories.

The unassuming house on West Anumandarayar Street has no trappings of history, but for a veena that juts from its facade. The house, situated in a cobbled street and facing the west tower of the Sri Meenakshi Sundereswarar temple, is now obscured by dozens of shops selling anything from plastic goods to knick-knacks to edibles.

Most shopkeepers don’t recall the name. One man then says the house is not hard to miss — it’s the one with the wooden replica of the veena. That design could have denoted the address of Shanmugavadivu, MS’ mother who was a well-known veena artiste herself.

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It was in this house that MS was born in 1916. She would have probably played on the cobbled street till fame came her way in 1926, when she was just 10. It brought her the world but took away her Madurai home.

Kumaragurubaran, who runs a shop near the house, says he has ‘‘heard’’ of the singer. But he has his doubts. ‘‘She was not a frequent visitor to Madurai, was she? Did you say she was born here?’’ MS could never forget her roots or her hometown even if they remained only memories.

The house is now occupied by some of her relatives. One of them, Kanthan, says his grandfather was Subbulakshmi’s cousin. ‘‘My grandfather is no more and we have no memories of her,’’ he said. His sister Sridevi, brother Kumar and their families also live in the house. None of MS’ cousins or their children have taken up music.

Divine music of the yazh

		You were born as the seven notes in the music of the yazh. Your music begot peace and sweetness. A queen among women who strung together the notes of Madhyamavathi A Bharat Ratna who embellished Sriragam and excelled in bhakti Annamacharya, Purandaradasa, the Musical Trinity, all the greatness of Tamil Isai — all these came to life in your voice. You may have departed this world to seek God’s abode. But having lived as a feeling in a million hearts, you will remain the music of the cosmos. — Excerpted from a tribute by President Abdul Kalam

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