also see http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/09/17/stor ... 430601.htm

Forumites: The lady with MSS is my mother Chinnani(Mrs. Narayani Mahadevan)--they were "thick" friends for over 60 years My Mother still broods over her friends loss--my Mother is 93 and can recall with remarkable clarity(although she may not be able to recite the names of her 15 Great Grandchildren!!!) every aspect of her association with MSS.--an anecdote:
The Sadasivams used to visit my parents (living with my brother in R.APuram Chennai) in the eighties/nineties quite frequently. In 1992,when I was visiting India from the US,on one day Sadasivam Mama asked "Kunjamma -you may recall we met Chinnani/Mahadevan in Calcutta in 1942(for the Savithri film shooting) and this will be your 50th year of association with your "Friend"--should we not celebrate the event?--Immediately we all sprung into action and at short notice arranged for an intimate get together(with Radha and Vijaya with their spouses besides Athma--we had ordered a cake with the inscription'Celebrating 50 years of friendship with both the names Kunjamma and Chinnani--I will post this pic if I can get some tech assistance from my folks to scan and put it!!). But the bakery Guy mistakenly put 60 instead of fifty and Mama remarked to my Mother and Mami--so you both better live another 10 years--Mama died 5 years later and Mami died 12 years later so that Mama's prophesy was fulfilled!!!
(Note: MS Amma died four months after the Hindu story appeared).

Hoping to resume the narrative--having been in hybernation for over a year and left "hanging"--the post-1977 period noted for many poignant moments and intimate associations between our two families.

Nice narrative MKR Sir! I have always wondered as to why MS did not have many sishyas. Can you shed some light on that aspect?

Nadhasuda: Please check out an earlier post in this thread--when I was actively posting-- there is one post by CACM(VKV) which explains-to sum up MS Amma was always learning herself-both CM and HM Bhajans plus the "second" life she had namely as a celebrity receiving visitors and dignitaries made it impossible for her to schedule time for regular teaching--but has taught many people 'on the fly" whenever people visited her or when she visited others-in Chennai or outside. My sister and daughter have been beneficiaries of a few songs --so have been Anuradha(KVN's daughter),Charu Ramachandran(Tricur Ramachandran's wife).

Among today's leading female vocalists I can sense Bombay Jayashree trying to emulate her in her singing techniques--so there is a lot of Electronic Ekalavyam going on today amongst female vocalists!! Imitation is the best form of Flattery!

It was never a case of not wanting to teach lest her popularity should be diminished

Thanks for the information MKR Sir. It is true that a lot of people are trying to emulate her but are not coming anywhere close to her. Her greatness lies in the fact that she makes the rendition appear easy (only someone who has attempted to try singing like that will know how difficult it is to even reproduce a fraction of what she sings) - in addition to the soulfullness. Sadly today's musicians are hitting all the right notes technically but the soul is missing.

MKR sir, I keep checking this thread to see if you have posted any updates! Please do continue to share these precious tidbits about MS Amma and all the wonderful people who influenced her life. I listen to her music everyday and i am more convinced every day that she is no ordinary mortal but an angel that we were blessed with to help us along the path of bhakthi.

MaamiAt heart: My apologies!! I have to write about the Post 1977 period till her death in 2004-I am trying to "coax" my wife to join the narrative--she is a much better chronicler and insightful than myself--perhaps one of these days I will literally record her narration and reproduce it for Rasikas-- in my opinion the above period when MS Amma had pretty much reduced her Concert commitments was the best in bringing to the fore the BEST of both Mami and Mama(TS)--whom I revere today as much as my parents. The only reason her Music appeals to so many people who have never met her in person is that indefinable characteristic of soulfulness--SHE WAS EVERY THING AND EVEN MORE WHAT SHE HAS BEEN DEPICTED TO BE-as I look back on the casual enquiries about intimate details of my family right down to my grandchildern that Mami used to ask I am struck by the genuineness and sincerity--our family was no match for her and yet she maintained that love and affection towards my mother(her best friend for over 60 years) and all of us. hers is a story that needs to be told and retold for posterity--I for one will never get tired of reminiscing about an association of over 60 years.
When she was 78 she sang @ my son's wedding and again the next year she sang @ my daughter's wedding and 9 months later in Nov 1997 Mama died.The next 7 years till she died,our family was privileged to associate with the Great Lady--memorable moments!!

Radha Sadasivam (as Radha) and ? in this dream sequence from Chandraprabha Movietone's 1947 Hindi production of the Tamil film Meera, starring M.S.Subbulakshmi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxttTgy_EXo

Some Sequence of the film Meera can be viewed at

http://cinemacorridor.blogspot.in/2009/ ... -1947.html

Dear M.K.S.,
I suggest you take a lead & start a SEPARATE THREAD ON "REMEMBERING M.S.S" in which YOU take the LEAD & others can also write about their experiences with this great soul. VKV

A rare video glimpse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21US5k7EEVA

Cienu - can you tell us something more about this documentary?

I have no clue Ravi. Just happened to see this amazing video of the 3 great artists on youtube. (though just a glimpse)
The piece from 1.48 to 1.54 brought back nostalgic memories. The daily pooja was part and parcel of her life whether at home or travel.

Cienu, the part which made me ask you that question was the fact that it appears that your grandfather was interviewed for the documentary, and the family may have noted it. By the way, for me, it was the first time I was able to hear him speak - obviously, we've heard of him, but not from him! So, that was an amazing thing for me....
And another point was that the thought that first went through my head when I initially understood the premise of the presentation was that it would deal with Smts. MSS, DKP, and MLV....

rshankar There is a video of a function arranged by one of MSS[s admirers from kerala named Baby in which Mama has made a humorous speech.
Perhaps Cienu can help track it down for forumites.

Mama was not only a delightful conversationalist but also a wonderful speaker laden with humor appropriate to the occasion.

Even when he scolds you it will be stinging but not offend your dignity. For a man who was always depicted as given to mercurial tempers,I have never heard him say an expletive common amongst people of his age at that time.While I have been at the receiving end at times for some instructions executed poorly and I deserved them what I felt unfair was when he would launch into a tirade into Mami for some alleged linfraction not in the singing but failure to respond to his signals to change the order of songs midway thro a concert despite his cues which even radha may have missed!!! But there was no BIGGER Fan of Mami than Mama. I have been privileged to be privy to his glowing praise sitting next to him in a marriage concert in Chennai about how divine and soulful she sings I am sure at home in his private moments he would have conveyed the same sentiment.

Sorry for the digression!!!

This is the clip which Sri MKR refers to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-pmYjzOiFU

MKR, thank you for the pointer and Cienu - thank you for the link...it was wonderful!

Is it not amazing that Mama was 95 years old when this function was held. He died four months later. Only a razor-sharp mind yoked to a brilliant tongue could produce such humor-laden eloquence. Even in private conversations the delivery would be crisp--no pauses,no back-tracking. In giving instructions to a person to accomplish a task, the task would be outlined without hms and aahs and at the end of the instructions a simple test to determine how well the person has understood the task and how attentive the person has been to the narration of the job!! If you botch the assignment,be prepared for a lecture on listening skills!!! When you report back to give an update or progress or the lack thereof,he would quickly understand that the person is hemming and hawing at which point the meeting would be terminated with Sari Sari(the tone alone will indicate the disappointment that a simple task could not be accomplished. The incident would be etched in his memory when years later if you again get chosen for the assignment a brief reminder as to how the earlier assignment was botched(!!) would be made and a second chance would be given to redeem one's reputation.

On June 29th His Excellency the Governor of Karnataka - Shri H.R.Bhardwaj will unveil the Bronze Busts of Bharat Ratnas M.S.Subbulakshmi and Bismillah Khan at the Tumkur University. Program Details are as below :

Congrats!
Hope somebody will report on that event..(wih pictures)

How wonderful!

Yes, how wonderful indeed! My best wishes for the event and the continued sustained functioning of the M.S. Subbulakshmi department of Fine Arts and the Art Gallery.

Cienu, I take it that the gallery hosts some amazing pictures and portraits of the legend and your family. Could you perhaps share with us how they put this gallery together?

Good news about the MSS Statue.

It seems Tumkur University has a particular interest in classical music. They have recently teamed up with the Music Academy to make the Academy a research centre that can award doctorates.

Any more information about this university? I can't say i have heard of it before!

Wonderful development. Cienu, keep us posted on how the event went.

Here is a snippet from today's Chennai daily: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/ban ... 583860.ece

Nothing more than what Mr. Cienu said in his post.

Good to know that my hometown has a gallery now

Thank you Sreebeecane for the post # 624.
Please also find below a link in today's "The Hindu" in which we can find further details of the function, including a picture of His Excellency the Governor of Karnataka unveiling the statue of MS at Tumkur University with "Vaishnava Janato" being played in the background.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kar ... 585599.ece
I must add that the function was extremely well organised with short speeches by all and we were overwhelmed by the hospitality extended by all the faculty members of Tumkur University lead by their redoubtable Vice Chancellor.
Kindly find below a few other images which were taken during the program
Amma and other family members after we arrived at the Tumkur University

My sister Lakshmi pays homage to her Grandmother

A brief life history of MS displayed on a plaque just beside the Statue.

A picture of our family beside the bust of Ustad Bismillah Khan after paying homage.

His Excellency the Governor of Karnataka and Chancellor of Tumkur University Dr H.R.Bhardwaj cracks a joke with my younger daughter Saundarya. At extreme right is the Vice Chancellor of Tumkur University Dr S.C.Sharma

His Excellency honors Amma with a Citation from Tumkur University. Also seen in the picture are His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Siddalinga Swamiji, Junior Seer of the Siddaganga Mutt, Smt Prafulata Bhardwaj , Sri Shivanna, MLA - Tumkur, the Vice Chancellor Dr S.C.Sharma and my daughters Aishwarya and Saundarya.

A view of a section of the audience at the Dr.M.S.Subbulakshmi Art Gallery where the function was held