The Governor, Mr. S. S. Barnala today described Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi as a living testimony to the life-sustaining and rejuvenating powers of music. He said Smt. Subbulakshmi's range in music was truly encyclopaedic and her repertoire was truly catholic; be in Meera bhajans, Soor Sagar, Tulsi's Ramayan or Gurunanak's kirtans from the Granth Sahib. Connoisseurs of music all over the world have been charmed and left spellbound by her rhythm. The healing power of music was evident in her performances.
The Governor said Smt. Subbulakshmi through her individual interpretation of the great musical Trinity1 of the South, had infused new life into their creations and thereby enriched the traditions and the continuous flow of the stream of Carnatic music. Mr. Barnala, who released HMV's Long Playing Record and cassette 'Agaval and other songs' in Tamil, rendered by Smt. Subbulakshmi at a function held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, said her song beginning with 'here under this uniting roof,' written by Rajaji electrified the imagination of the international luminaries in the United Nations in 1966. She had done a singular service to Tamil language by bringing out a cassette exclusively with devotional songs in Tamil, poetess Avvaiyar's ‘Vinayagar Agaval' and songs on Lord Muruga.
The Governor presented the first LP record to the Secretary of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mr. Ramakrishnan, and the first cassette to Mr. T. T. Vasu, industrialist. Mr. T. Sadasivam, who participated in the function along with Smt. Subbulakshmi presented a cassette to the Governor.
Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer praised Smt. Subbulakshmi for her unflinching devotion to music. She had not only rendered several songs but had also donated for noble causes her royalty and prizes received. Mr. M. P. Sivagnanam and Mrs. Soundara Kailasam said it was a tribute to Smt. Subbulakshmi for bringing out the cassette containing 'Vinayagar Agaval', which explained the significance of yoga. Mr. C. Ayyappan, Branch Sales Manager, Gramophone Company of India, explained the songs rendered in the cassette.
The article was originally published on December 16, 1990. We're republishing it as a part of M.S. Subbulakshmi Centenary Celebrations.
