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MS: A Life In Music
This authoritative biography unravels the saga of one of India's most revere and respected musicians, whose name has become synonymous with Bhakti [devotion]
- GenresBiographyNonfictionMusic
304 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 6, 2024
Though an ignoramus myself, I grew up in a house seeped in Carnatic music and music lore, and this book helped me connect the dots. The main story, of course, is of the incredibly talented young woman who rose beyond her Devadasi heritage to eventually claim a place in Brahminical society. But her story is told in larger context of the evolution of Carnatic music tradition and the people who helped shape it- all the titbits I had absorbed without understanding now made sense. The book also dwells at length about the steady "Brahminisation" of both Carnatic Music and Bharatnatyam, and the clashes between the people who wanted to uphold the old traditions and those who wanted to santize it.
Through it all MS remained the untouched lotus- performing music because she is one with the music, adored even by those who despise the people who surround her. The highlight of the book, for me, was the last chapter and the Appendix. While one tends to think of MS as the diamond polished by her husband, is that the whole truth? Did she not make bold choices to reject the conventional path that her birth destined, to adopt Sadasivam as her partner and protector? While her husband might have directed her career and made her a familiar name way beyond Carnatic music circles, was it not her her ability to become the music that struck a chord in people's hearts? In the author's words-
This book may not appeal to you if you are already a Carnatic music aficionado, but it was an illuminating read for me.
Through it all MS remained the untouched lotus- performing music because she is one with the music, adored even by those who despise the people who surround her. The highlight of the book, for me, was the last chapter and the Appendix. While one tends to think of MS as the diamond polished by her husband, is that the whole truth? Did she not make bold choices to reject the conventional path that her birth destined, to adopt Sadasivam as her partner and protector? While her husband might have directed her career and made her a familiar name way beyond Carnatic music circles, was it not her her ability to become the music that struck a chord in people's hearts? In the author's words-
She was greater than her performance on stage; she was truer than her family and professional circumstances. In the end, perhaps. M.S. Subbulakshmi the musician would have to be measured in terms of .S. Subbulakshmi the person.
This book may not appeal to you if you are already a Carnatic music aficionado, but it was an illuminating read for me.
December 31, 2015
MS, to me and to several others exposed to her mellifluous voice and divine rendition, is synonymous with devotion. A certain sense of peace pervades your being as you lose yourself to her singing. Little did I know that underlying that serenity were stormy forces and scandalous events that made MS a household name in south India.
In this biography, MS - A life in Music, author T.J.S. George has done a phenomenal job of writing the life story of MS in the context of the societal norms, the evolution of performing arts not only in Tamil Nadu but rest of the country, and the people in the life of MS - notably her mom Shanmughavadivu, her husband Sadasivam, and her contemporaries.
I confess that half way through the book, a part of me wished that I had not started this book because I was worried that I would feel let down - I would form impressions of MS that I didn’t want to. But I am glad that I persisted because the rest of the book so beautifully reinforced how that her enablers (her mom and her husband) may have made calculated moves to make MS popular but MS was untouched by it. From the beginning till her end, MS did what she knew best - being true to her music. With passion. With discipline. And devotion. Nothing else mattered.
If you heart MS or are a music lover, this is the book for you. You will not only end up learning more about the legend but become more knowledgeable about the dynamics that shaped the carnatic music through generations.
I leave you with few lines from the book that tugged at my heartstrings.
"Her involved non-involvement, her detached attachment somehow enhanced her beatific profile. She was Sadasivam's wife, Rajaji's disciplie, Kalki Krishnamurthi's friend, but she was always MS. In the end, she herself was her music and her bhakthi. In the end she attained what the people around her seemed to miss - a sense of fulfillment. Sadasivam was successful and devout, but did he find ultimate fulfilment? Rajaji stayed for long at the top of political and social pyramids, but did he find the satisfaction of the true achiever?
A look at MS was enough to convince anyone that she had found herself. When she sang the Rajaji hymn "Kurai ondrum illai" it was like she was telling the world about herself and thanking her god for his blessings. One word occurred frequently in the language of those who met MS in her later years: Glow. Everyone talked about how she glowed from within. In the midst of frenetic life, she had found serenity. An aura of grace surrounded her."
In this biography, MS - A life in Music, author T.J.S. George has done a phenomenal job of writing the life story of MS in the context of the societal norms, the evolution of performing arts not only in Tamil Nadu but rest of the country, and the people in the life of MS - notably her mom Shanmughavadivu, her husband Sadasivam, and her contemporaries.
I confess that half way through the book, a part of me wished that I had not started this book because I was worried that I would feel let down - I would form impressions of MS that I didn’t want to. But I am glad that I persisted because the rest of the book so beautifully reinforced how that her enablers (her mom and her husband) may have made calculated moves to make MS popular but MS was untouched by it. From the beginning till her end, MS did what she knew best - being true to her music. With passion. With discipline. And devotion. Nothing else mattered.
If you heart MS or are a music lover, this is the book for you. You will not only end up learning more about the legend but become more knowledgeable about the dynamics that shaped the carnatic music through generations.
I leave you with few lines from the book that tugged at my heartstrings.
"Her involved non-involvement, her detached attachment somehow enhanced her beatific profile. She was Sadasivam's wife, Rajaji's disciplie, Kalki Krishnamurthi's friend, but she was always MS. In the end, she herself was her music and her bhakthi. In the end she attained what the people around her seemed to miss - a sense of fulfillment. Sadasivam was successful and devout, but did he find ultimate fulfilment? Rajaji stayed for long at the top of political and social pyramids, but did he find the satisfaction of the true achiever?
A look at MS was enough to convince anyone that she had found herself. When she sang the Rajaji hymn "Kurai ondrum illai" it was like she was telling the world about herself and thanking her god for his blessings. One word occurred frequently in the language of those who met MS in her later years: Glow. Everyone talked about how she glowed from within. In the midst of frenetic life, she had found serenity. An aura of grace surrounded her."
October 14, 2014
This book is as much a fascinating account of MS's journey as a musician as it is about a young girl, from a less-privileged background, storming the bastions of orthodox, upper-caste Southern India.
Even more so, it is a story about the brahminisation of carnatic music,and thereby, its social re-engineering,leading to renewed interests of the upper class in the art form.
Carnatic music which had flourished under the patron-ship of the royals and the rich, somewhat lost its standing in post-independent Southern India.
Cinema and radio were perhaps the only options for any upcoming female artist to showcase her art, but a good break was rare. The chance at social acceptance, even more so.
MS herself, whether by intention or by mere turn of events,played a crucial role in changing the fate of carnatic music.
Her marriage to the much older,Kalki Sadasivam, a Tam Bram who had made a name for himself as a fiery freedom fighter and later a journalist, paved the way for her transformation, from a beautiful, upcoming singer-actress in Tamil mythologies to a respectable artist from a Tamil Brahmin family.
And with this, came the eventual change in the fortunes of carnatic music,no longer a pariah, but an art which had successfully re-invented itself.
This makes MS's story and her contributions to her art even more important.
T J S George's book documents MS's story in the backdrop of a conservative Tamil society, reluctant to take in outsiders. Her simultaneous subversion of and capitulation to Brahmin South India, through her music, is what makes this book an interesting read.
Even more so, it is a story about the brahminisation of carnatic music,and thereby, its social re-engineering,leading to renewed interests of the upper class in the art form.
Carnatic music which had flourished under the patron-ship of the royals and the rich, somewhat lost its standing in post-independent Southern India.
Cinema and radio were perhaps the only options for any upcoming female artist to showcase her art, but a good break was rare. The chance at social acceptance, even more so.
MS herself, whether by intention or by mere turn of events,played a crucial role in changing the fate of carnatic music.
Her marriage to the much older,Kalki Sadasivam, a Tam Bram who had made a name for himself as a fiery freedom fighter and later a journalist, paved the way for her transformation, from a beautiful, upcoming singer-actress in Tamil mythologies to a respectable artist from a Tamil Brahmin family.
And with this, came the eventual change in the fortunes of carnatic music,no longer a pariah, but an art which had successfully re-invented itself.
This makes MS's story and her contributions to her art even more important.
T J S George's book documents MS's story in the backdrop of a conservative Tamil society, reluctant to take in outsiders. Her simultaneous subversion of and capitulation to Brahmin South India, through her music, is what makes this book an interesting read.
December 29, 2013
Excellent book that gives a glimpse into the life of a talented but humble artist - and also the people who helped MS to reach such heights in the music world.
February 25, 2011
Book: MS - A LIFE IN MUSIC
The author: T J S George writes about his limited Carnatic Musical understanding or history and about consulting several people in the field of Carnatic Music and that made the book possible. He places MS’s life in the larger context – Carnatic music, arts, cinema, history, culture, politics and lifestyle – of the place she was born, lived and international setting that was to give the picture of the music world of MS and world in her times, as it was.
*
The book speaks volumes about Music – enriching. On MS, there were insights into her life and T J S George brings out the essence, beautifully.
*
A brief review of her life: (few line (quotes) by the author)
MS as a child perfects her Shruthi. She is the Suswaralakshmi. Her disciplined ambitious mother grooms her musically and exposes her to various people and brings her to Madras. M S gains command over the nuances of classical music her audiences spellbound with her emotional and aesthetic appeal.
The milestone in her life is when she leaves her mother behind in Madurai to chart her own destiny and moves to Madras. She seeks out Sadasivam to help her, who had done an interview of her for his magazine (Kalki) who was smitten by her beauty and talent. She chooses him to protect her – freedom fighter and journalist. Her decision was instinct driven strategic decision.
“It was MS who sensed very early in her life that she was likely to end up as the playthings for a Chettiyar here or a zamindar there. It was MS, in all her naïveté of her budding teens, who decided that she should chart out a different destiny for herself."
*
MS was a simple woman. Her goal was to get married and have a family for herself, feel belonged - to community. Her asset is her music – her passion to sing.
George brings out all the skeletons out along with the story – truthfully.
When MS moved in with Sadasivam, walking out of her mothers in 1936, Sadasivam was very much married expecting his second child. Slowly the relationship between the husband and wife degenerated; his first wife became a non-entity – not able to accept presence of another woman in the house-hold with ongoing scandal, fights, accusation and drama, she fell into depression and bitterness.
Sadasivam was busy charting MS’s career in cinema and protecting MS from her mother and brother who wanted to take her back and settle with a wealthy man who would be a patron of Music. In their view, Sadasivam was nowhere near “wealthy” and was going to spoil MS shoving her into movies.
Her career in movies made her popular and there was undeniable illustriousness that made the infatuated Sadasivam pay much closer attention to her. He guards her zealously and she submissively accepts his control for her own safety.
During the making of movie Shakuntalai, although she was living with Sadasivam, MS fell in love with G N Balasubramanian, who was a legend and married. The high-tension drama ended when Sadasivam’s first wife died. He hurriedly tied thee knots with MS.
MS became his. He protected her from the lecherous, wealthy and affluent men of the society. But he was yet to meet the challenge - her passion – to sing and to reach out.
*
He strategically charted the Bhakti path for her by producing the last movie Meera and promoted as an exemplar of Bhakti. He was also her guru. He facilitated her interaction with the Ustads and experimented with music and achieved purity and perfection for MS. He removed all distractions from her life; nobody could get to MS without Sadasivam’s approval. Media was kept away. He promoted her music and an image - that of a simple, child-like, loving, spiritual woman, attached only to her music and immediate family.
Bhakti came to MS naturally; modest and humble she let the power of her Music take her to great heights - saintliness.
Sadasivam completely controlled her career, impeccably picked the ragas and songs that would suit MS the best and planned her concerts meticulously. He charted the path to international fame - by breaking the barriers. It was his ambition for MS and he used all his strength and power to make it happen.
Their journey filled with enriching experiences – personal losses and gains. She got married, she loved Sadasivam’s daughters as her own, took care of them, she became a brahmin – by virtue, although not by birth, her husband loved her and cared for her deeply – she was the last one he saw before he passed away peacefully in 1997, (although her wish was to die before him – a sumangali) and she ended her music career after her husband passed away, her memory failing, she gives in to ailments and passes away in 2004.
*
The author, T J S George concludes, assessing her life – what contributed to “achievement” bringing out the essence: (Quote from the book)
"The personal victory achieved by MS lay in her coming from a community (deva-dasi) that was a fashionable target of abuse, but yet reaching the heights she did. The circumstances of her upbringing decreed that she must fit her art into the conventions that governed her mother's life and her mother's life before that. Her being born a woman was, in fact, a key to the life and career of MS."
“MS: Her singular achievement was that she navigated her way forward without getting lulled by the good fortune or hurt by the afflictions. The guidance she received from others helped a great deal but it was her fundamentally, it was her ingrained qualities of goodness, simplicity and self-effacement that endeared her to her generation.”
“She faced the prospect of gaining or losing as a woman. She gained by showing resoluteness when crisis points in her life called for resoluteness. Such determination on her part was all the remarkable because by belief and temperament she was very much a submissive traditionalist.”
*
With all the skeletons out in the open, the book is tepid that stir to calm and gives us peace, just like MS’s music. TJS George's writing is brilliant about the icon, the legend nestled in rich-history of Carnatic Music and consolidates how the music industry is shaping with all the changes.
The author: T J S George writes about his limited Carnatic Musical understanding or history and about consulting several people in the field of Carnatic Music and that made the book possible. He places MS’s life in the larger context – Carnatic music, arts, cinema, history, culture, politics and lifestyle – of the place she was born, lived and international setting that was to give the picture of the music world of MS and world in her times, as it was.
*
The book speaks volumes about Music – enriching. On MS, there were insights into her life and T J S George brings out the essence, beautifully.
*
A brief review of her life: (few line (quotes) by the author)
MS as a child perfects her Shruthi. She is the Suswaralakshmi. Her disciplined ambitious mother grooms her musically and exposes her to various people and brings her to Madras. M S gains command over the nuances of classical music her audiences spellbound with her emotional and aesthetic appeal.
The milestone in her life is when she leaves her mother behind in Madurai to chart her own destiny and moves to Madras. She seeks out Sadasivam to help her, who had done an interview of her for his magazine (Kalki) who was smitten by her beauty and talent. She chooses him to protect her – freedom fighter and journalist. Her decision was instinct driven strategic decision.
“It was MS who sensed very early in her life that she was likely to end up as the playthings for a Chettiyar here or a zamindar there. It was MS, in all her naïveté of her budding teens, who decided that she should chart out a different destiny for herself."
*
MS was a simple woman. Her goal was to get married and have a family for herself, feel belonged - to community. Her asset is her music – her passion to sing.
George brings out all the skeletons out along with the story – truthfully.
When MS moved in with Sadasivam, walking out of her mothers in 1936, Sadasivam was very much married expecting his second child. Slowly the relationship between the husband and wife degenerated; his first wife became a non-entity – not able to accept presence of another woman in the house-hold with ongoing scandal, fights, accusation and drama, she fell into depression and bitterness.
Sadasivam was busy charting MS’s career in cinema and protecting MS from her mother and brother who wanted to take her back and settle with a wealthy man who would be a patron of Music. In their view, Sadasivam was nowhere near “wealthy” and was going to spoil MS shoving her into movies.
Her career in movies made her popular and there was undeniable illustriousness that made the infatuated Sadasivam pay much closer attention to her. He guards her zealously and she submissively accepts his control for her own safety.
During the making of movie Shakuntalai, although she was living with Sadasivam, MS fell in love with G N Balasubramanian, who was a legend and married. The high-tension drama ended when Sadasivam’s first wife died. He hurriedly tied thee knots with MS.
MS became his. He protected her from the lecherous, wealthy and affluent men of the society. But he was yet to meet the challenge - her passion – to sing and to reach out.
*
He strategically charted the Bhakti path for her by producing the last movie Meera and promoted as an exemplar of Bhakti. He was also her guru. He facilitated her interaction with the Ustads and experimented with music and achieved purity and perfection for MS. He removed all distractions from her life; nobody could get to MS without Sadasivam’s approval. Media was kept away. He promoted her music and an image - that of a simple, child-like, loving, spiritual woman, attached only to her music and immediate family.
Bhakti came to MS naturally; modest and humble she let the power of her Music take her to great heights - saintliness.
Sadasivam completely controlled her career, impeccably picked the ragas and songs that would suit MS the best and planned her concerts meticulously. He charted the path to international fame - by breaking the barriers. It was his ambition for MS and he used all his strength and power to make it happen.
Their journey filled with enriching experiences – personal losses and gains. She got married, she loved Sadasivam’s daughters as her own, took care of them, she became a brahmin – by virtue, although not by birth, her husband loved her and cared for her deeply – she was the last one he saw before he passed away peacefully in 1997, (although her wish was to die before him – a sumangali) and she ended her music career after her husband passed away, her memory failing, she gives in to ailments and passes away in 2004.
*
The author, T J S George concludes, assessing her life – what contributed to “achievement” bringing out the essence: (Quote from the book)
"The personal victory achieved by MS lay in her coming from a community (deva-dasi) that was a fashionable target of abuse, but yet reaching the heights she did. The circumstances of her upbringing decreed that she must fit her art into the conventions that governed her mother's life and her mother's life before that. Her being born a woman was, in fact, a key to the life and career of MS."
“MS: Her singular achievement was that she navigated her way forward without getting lulled by the good fortune or hurt by the afflictions. The guidance she received from others helped a great deal but it was her fundamentally, it was her ingrained qualities of goodness, simplicity and self-effacement that endeared her to her generation.”
“She faced the prospect of gaining or losing as a woman. She gained by showing resoluteness when crisis points in her life called for resoluteness. Such determination on her part was all the remarkable because by belief and temperament she was very much a submissive traditionalist.”
*
With all the skeletons out in the open, the book is tepid that stir to calm and gives us peace, just like MS’s music. TJS George's writing is brilliant about the icon, the legend nestled in rich-history of Carnatic Music and consolidates how the music industry is shaping with all the changes.
December 5, 2022
Well written, however it's more of the evolution of music and the impact of cultural changes on it rather than M S herself. Safe to say, it's more biography of Mr.Sadasivam rather than M S herself. The curiosity to take a peek into her state of mind at various stages of her life or her opinions still remain as the book doesn't cover any of it. The excerpts of the letters she she wrote to GNB were so refreshing to know the emotional side of her. The book helps us understand the times in which she lived and excelled, personalities of her inner circle and hence deduces what she may have been. Overall, good read as a history of culture in Madras and music in Madras, not to be mistaken as a biography.
August 31, 2021
A historic perspective of arts and life on MS.
November 10, 2025
Interesting.
January 21, 2022
Well researched and pieced together. The author manages to give us a glimpse into M.S's life.
An well written book.
An well written book.
May 3, 2020
What an absorbing book!
Read every word over 2 days (285 pages)!
I grew up in Mylapore in the '60s; feel so good to be able to relate to so many things, people and places!
Yet, feel bad that I was too young to fully appreciate the full impact of such "earth-shaking" developments "just around the corner"
Thank you "lock-down"!
Read every word over 2 days (285 pages)!
I grew up in Mylapore in the '60s; feel so good to be able to relate to so many things, people and places!
Yet, feel bad that I was too young to fully appreciate the full impact of such "earth-shaking" developments "just around the corner"
Thank you "lock-down"!
January 2, 2016
I have always thought MS to be patriarchy's favorite Godchild. TJS George's book not only reaffirms that, but also clarifies on the songstress' trust in herself to do the right things for her life. Marrying Sadashivam, who was older to her by 14 years, was one such thing. The book is as much a biography of Sadashivam's life much as it is about MS. Afterall, there is no other without each other in their case. What one still is intrigued about is MS's personal life. She married Sadhashivam, and they lived happily ever after, but really, how it is like to live under tightly regimented household routines and strictures of Brahminical privileges that she adopted to become what she became?
She perhaps got accustomed, and (I guess) developed a liking for patriarchy because of the lack of a strong male figure in her life before Sadashivam. Also, growing up in a Devadasi family meant being denied the security of being someone's 'wife'. The Devadasi Abolition Bill was introduced in 1930, Sadir or 'Dasi Aatam' was rechristened as Bharatanatyam (that eventually got inducted into the TamBrahm Maslov's privilege pyramid), and the ancient Devadasi cult suffered ignominy. It was around this time that MS was trying to break into the Indian Music scene while being certain that she did not want to succumb to the pressures of her lineage. She evaded her own fate with her faith on music. Her music led her to Sadashivam, she let him take control of her life, and she was very happy doing so.
The book did not satiate my curiosity to know more about MS, the individual. One can gauge and probe based on the information available on her milieu and career chronology but material manifestations are poor substitutes to understanding personal psychologies. MS' music was probably her only personal life. She was that music, and all the encompassing jeevatmas.
She perhaps got accustomed, and (I guess) developed a liking for patriarchy because of the lack of a strong male figure in her life before Sadashivam. Also, growing up in a Devadasi family meant being denied the security of being someone's 'wife'. The Devadasi Abolition Bill was introduced in 1930, Sadir or 'Dasi Aatam' was rechristened as Bharatanatyam (that eventually got inducted into the TamBrahm Maslov's privilege pyramid), and the ancient Devadasi cult suffered ignominy. It was around this time that MS was trying to break into the Indian Music scene while being certain that she did not want to succumb to the pressures of her lineage. She evaded her own fate with her faith on music. Her music led her to Sadashivam, she let him take control of her life, and she was very happy doing so.
The book did not satiate my curiosity to know more about MS, the individual. One can gauge and probe based on the information available on her milieu and career chronology but material manifestations are poor substitutes to understanding personal psychologies. MS' music was probably her only personal life. She was that music, and all the encompassing jeevatmas.
October 14, 2015
Every one who has heard MS sing should read this book. It takes you back to 20th century and you feel you have watched a movie on MS. Beautifully written. I salute this divine lady for her endurance to rise up from a social level through her greatest gift of voice, divinity, and humility. I could see an MS before and after Shakuntalai. I felt that Sadasivam gave the star to the world, but killed the soul in her. Perhaps she was happy with her choice - candle in the wind! TJS George, many thanks for writing this book with such respect to MS. My only wish is that some one should translate this book in Tamil so that it could reach a wider audience in the South.
May 6, 2025
To explain music in words would be like showing the sun to a blind man. To explain MS's music in words is like showing a lamp to the sun itself. The author tactfully skips this part and talks only about her life. He talks about the general aspects of her music which people may be already aware of. What I liked the most is the historical and social context he set up before diving into her life because otherwise there would be no yardstick for her achievements. Did feel that Sadasivam took more of the book than he should have.
July 4, 2016
This is a good book, although Sadasivam seems very scary and controlling, this is a case study on the power of marketing(meh)
It is also a tale of lost love (letters!!?), music devotion and how all of these played it's role in society in 1940s India.
It is also an ironic tale of a remarkable woman who must herself be first conquered to conquer millions of hearts.
Fascinating, totally.
This is a good book.
It is also a tale of lost love (letters!!?), music devotion and how all of these played it's role in society in 1940s India.
It is also an ironic tale of a remarkable woman who must herself be first conquered to conquer millions of hearts.
Fascinating, totally.
This is a good book.
April 17, 2018
For Karnatic Music enthusiasts - MS is a person who ever remains godly beautiful with that saintly glow on her face which is so endearing and arousing.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews