An Award In MS' Name By Stomping On The Sentiments Of Her Family Is No Way To Honour Her Memory 

Not everything in life lends itself to easy explanations or logical understanding. A lot exists beyond the ken of rational grasp. The Bard had rightly said, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

My father Kalki Kannan's relationship with T Sadasivam and M S Subbulakshmi falls in the domain of a mythically ordained connection. They saw him as their own son, and for me, the duo will forever remain Thaatha and Paati.

When my late father was around 12 years of age, an uncle took him to Madras (Chennai) for better prospects and introduced him to Thaatha. It was a meeting that Providence had written for both of them. An instant attraction set in between him and Thaatha. He, without a second thought, asked if my dad would stay with them (Thatha and Paati), in the majestic Kalki Gardens! Dad wasn't sure at that time, because he had just met him. But, as if impelled by a special force, he tentatively agreed and thus commenced a relationship that over time, strengthened into one of father-son.  

This was around the time the Hindi version of Meera was being made. Being exposed to printing, editing and assisting in direction, in addition to undergoing a technical course, Dad was soon immersed in developing himself into an all-round personality. Travelling extensively across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal with them, time flew by and the group, Thaatha, Paatti, Radha aunty (V Shrinivasan's mother) and Vijaya aunty, dad and others, soon integrated into a happy family. 

Sometime in the early 50s (I guess, 1952), Thaatha suggested that Dad relocate to Bombay (Mumbai) in order to develop an advertising business for the journal, Kalki (Tamil). He was also involved in the marketing and ad sales of Swarajya, founded by Rajaji, who was very close to Thaatha and Paati. That was a time when a significant part of advertising business originated from Bombay and most publications had recognised this by locating their senior advertising resources in the city.

The subsequent decade involved Dad travelling extensively with Thaatha and Paatti, as they traversed the nation for her various concerts, most of which happened as benefit recitals for various causes/institutions. My dad was the one who executed whatever itinerary and ideas Thaatha had planned for the tour with Paati.

It, therefore, came as a jolt (much later when I had relocated to an engineering college campus), when someone disputed this relationship! To my relief, this issue was addressed soon thereafter. Into my second month on campus, an administration vehicle, with a messenger, arrived at my hostel and sought my presence at the residence of our principal. The message provided was, My grandparents had come over and were keen to meet me!’ Being a large campus, with over 200 acres of concrete structures amidst greenery, shrubs and stunted trees, I wondered who these visitors were! 

Receiving me at the entrance of his sprawling house, my principal stated, "Kanna, your grandparents are here to see you, come in." A reassuring Thaatha was there with Paatti, hugging me with all the warmth and love. Apparently, Paatti had performed a concert at the complex of BHEL (a public sector industrial giant), Trichy and realising I was in the neighbouring campus, they sought to come over to see me.

Later, when they left, my principal mentioned to me, “Your grandparents were very keen to know how you were settling in and seem to feel reassured that you are in a good place. You are indeed blessed to have such divine elders as your grandparents.” It, thereafter, did not matter if they were not my biological relatives and I finally got to overcome this dissonance in comprehending this relationship.

Much later, Thaatha and Paatti were in Bombay for a benefit recital for Sankara Netralaya Hospital (that was to come up in Chennai). Dad had taken up the responsibility of ensuring its success. A packed Shanmukhananda hall, with a ‘house full’ sign at the box office, witnessed Paatti’s vintage performance. As the concert concluded, an emotional audience, many with welled-up eyes, rushed to the stage to prostrate at the feet of my divine Paatti. The greatest wealth one has acquired during this association with Thaatha and Paatti is such fond memories of their greatness, wisdom, caring for all around, and love and affection! 

Dad and mom (Lakshmi Kannan) regularly performed poojas on occasions of Thaatha and Paatti’s ‘janma nakshatrams.’ This trip of theirs to Mumbai coincided with Thaatha’s Sadabhishekam (completion of 80 years and having seen 1000 moons!). As a dutiful son, my dad therefore went ahead and organised an elaborate ritual, at the Sankara Matam in Mumbai. (Incidentally, the fund-raising for the construction of this institution commenced with Paatti’s benefit recital and such an auspicious start enabled the temple structure to develop rapidly for consecration within 18 months thereafter). 

A large posse of invitees was to be on hand at this event and arrangements were in full swing when Dad experienced his first challenge. A close acquaintance and a colleague in the management committee of the Sri Kanchi Matam had conveyed his displeasure at holding this event at the Matam. The reason for this ‘dissent’ was Paatti’s ‘formative period, belonging to a particular section of society.’

At that time, the Mahaperiyava (Senior pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam) had set camp at Satara. As it happened, Dad received a call from the Kanchi camp in Satara, ‘inviting him’ to have an audience with Mahaperiyava.

Blissfully unaware of the background, Dad travelled by a night train and reached Satara in the early hours of the following morning. After his ablutions, appropriately attired, he went, prostrated at the feet of Mahaperiyava. It is of interest, that Dad was not aware of the background of his ‘invitation to Satara’ nor did anyone have the courage to share it with Mahaperiyava, the ‘displeasure’ of a particular group! 

"Have you come to seek blessings for Sadasivam’s Sadabhishekam?" enquired the Living God, the Mahaperiyava. "My blessings are with you," he said and had relevant material of spiritual significance provided for the ceremony. After this, there wasn’t a whimper of dissent! It was only after returning to Mumbai that Dad got to know of the details of the ‘dissent.’

The ceremony went well. On their return to Chennai, Thaatha wrote Dad an emotional letter, parts of which are paraphrased here... "As per our sastra, a son assumes responsibility for performing his father’s Sadabhishekam. You and Lakshmi have lived up to the same. Both Ammal and I never thought such a blessing would come our way and you, as always, have performed it with such fervour! God bless you, dear son and Lakshmi, our daughter-in-law!"

The above episode also conveys the unflinching faith that both Thaatha and Dad had in the Living God, the Mahaperiyava. The wisdom that Thaatha and Dad demonstrated when someone close to them had attempted to disrupt an event of significance, was yet another enrichment of approach! "With the Mahaperiyava’s benevolence, nothing of harm can affect Paatti and Thaatha," said Dad after the event. 

It did cause enormous pain to many of us, who have grown in her shadows. The only material possessions she did not part with were her dairies which she regularly updated! Apart from this, everything of significance has either been given away or handed down to the generations. 

One of our own relatives has also recently written saying that Paati would not have been happy with this furore around the award. In a sense, he is right. She is not a person to protest anything. It was never in her character. She sang as only she could, and left the rest to God. But the larger point is the articles and speeches of a particular singer have indeed caused immeasurable agony and deep hurt to many of us in the family. And Shrinivasan, my younger sibling, has done the right thing of taking a principled stand when the memory of a great soul is sought to be besmirched. 

Her greatness and geniality cannot be taken as an excuse for mudslinging. It, therefore, does hurt, when the sentiments of Shrinivasan are not being respected. What he has sought is not a denial of an award or admonishment of the perpetrator of this agony. He seeks that the name of someone who is divinity personified to a large section of society, be not associated with a particular award!

It is indeed disappointing that this issue is being pursued by the sponsors of the award as though they are being denied the materiality of the institution they oversee. In the process, they seem to display a sense of entitlement and high-handedness that is resulting in a permanent destruction of its equity that has grown this far, due to the efforts of past artists of high repute and the tireless efforts of the founders.

The pain that many of us in the family feel is true. An award in MS' name by stomping on the sentiments and emotions of many in her family is no way to honour her memory. 

(The author is the son of Late Kalki Kannan mentioned in the article).