SHE SANG FOR INDIA

A lyrical commemoration of the power and legacy of a renowned South Indian activist and performer.

Readers who know little about M.S. Subbulakshmi’s Carnatic music or traditional Indian instruments will come away none the wiser, but the general storyline of a gifted singer who goes from “small-town devadasi girl” to international fame by performing and persisting until barriers of gender prejudice fall away is easy enough to follow and applaud. Aside from identifying Subbulakshmi as the first woman and youngest person ever to perform at the Madras Music Academy and ending with her 1966 performance before the United Nations, Subranamiam largely skips past seven decades of biographical and career highlights (never mentioning her film work, for instance, except in the backmatter). What stands out instead are tributes to her spirit and the spiritual power of her singing in support of India’s independence movement and through the heartbreaks of the new country’s religious division and Gandhi’s assassination. Capped by a beautiful portrait composed of flowers and musical instruments, Gupta’s harmonious illustrations follow Subbulakshmi from intimate childhood family concerts to larger stages. The closing notes and definitions are cursory at best, but along with an eloquent summation at the end, the author tucks in snatches of lyrics in Tamil, Hindi, and Sanskrit (as script, transliterations, and English translations) throughout. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A loving invitation to read, and hear, more.