The Talk
“Manaku teliyani MS: Devadasi putrika nunchi sangeetha samragni varaku (Telugu title)”
The riveting story of how a girl from a devadasi family challenged male dominance in Carnatic music.
First published in 2004 as ‘MS – A Life in Music’, the book was virtually killed by the satraps of Carnatic music – the powerful, elite lobby that polices culture and its meaning – for raising uncomfortable issues in the origin and growth of Carnatic music. In 2016, marking her birth centenary celebration the book was republished with a different title and a new preface. Nonetheless, the narrative remains as captivating and fresh as ever.
TJS George traces the history of Carnatic music, explaining the role of religion, caste and language and the prejudices associated with being a female singer in a ‘Brahmin-dominated male chauvinistic world’ (TM Krishna).
The real strength of the book is the narrative wherein M.S. Subbulakshmi and some of her women contemporaries like M.L. Vasanthakumari and Pattammal, were able to reshape and reaffirm their role in a male-dominated and patriarchal milieu. TJS George does this without making it a hagiography. To that extent, the book is not just the enchanting life-sketch of a melody marvel, but a socio-political study of Tamil Nadu, Carnatic music and of M.S. Subbulakshmi herself.
Volga in her translation to Telugu captures this sentiment beautifully. Writer and journalist R.M. Umamaheswara Rao shares his insights into the community of traditional artistes.
Writer Volga who translated TJS George’s book into Telugu, introduces it.