M.S. Subbulakshmi - Bhaja Govindam - Vishnu Sahasranamam

M.S. Subbulakshmi - Bhaja Govindam - Vishnu Sahasranamam

EMI Odeon - SMOAE 5011 - P.1970

Side A

A1 Talk on Bhaja Govindan by Sri Rajagopalachari 'Rajaji' 2'05

A2 Bhaja Govindam - 11'04 - (lyrics in sanskrit, with interpretation into hindi and english)

A3 Vishnu Sahasranamam - Dhyanam - 6'54

Side B

B1 Vishnu Sahasranamam - Stotram 22'43

Sri Rajagopalachari 'Rajaji' (1878 — 1972)

Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (Tamil: சக்ரவர்த்தி ராஜகோபாலாச்சாரி) (December 10, 1878 - December 25, 1972), known as or Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, writer, statesman and a devout Hindu . He was the second Governor-General of independent India. Later he became the Chief Minister of Madras State, and was one of the first recipients of India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (in 1954).

CR made several literary contributions. His works in his native Tamil are recognized as modern classics (published and re-printed several times). After his break with politics, he started on the massive task of translating the Hindu Scriptures Ramayana , Mahabharata from Sanskrit to Tamil; and later into English.

He received rave reviews from scholars and religious seers alike. He translated Upanishads and Bhaja Govindam into English. His book Hinduism - Doctrine and Way of Life is a concise essence of the doctrine and way of life propagated by Hinduism.

His novels and short stories, themselves would have won him public adulation. He also translated 'The Tirukkural' from Tamil to English. 'Tirukkural' is an ancient piece of the Tamil literature and is often referred to as 'the flower of Tamilnad'. His ability as a writer, is in a sense, unparalleled, not just in India alone.

Some of his poetry was set to music and sung by Carnatic music's dominant personality M.S. Subbulakshmi at several occasions of importance, and once at the United Nations, Kurai Onrum Illai - (meaning - No regrets have I My lord, None) is a very famous song in the semi-Carnatic music genre written by Rajaji and the most popular version, (widely acknowledged as soul-stirring) has been rendered by M.S. Subbulakshmi. Rajaji also composed a hymn which was sung in 1966 at the United Nations, again by M.S. Subbulakshmi.

I will post the UN concert in the following days...

Read much more...

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Srimati M.S. Subbulakshmi - Sanskrit Morning Recital

M.S. Subbulakshmi - Sri Venkatesan

EMI India - ECSD 2293 - P.1963

Side A

A1 Sri Venkatesan Suprabatham - Sanskrit recitation - Devotional 20'39

Side B

B1 Bhavayami - Ragamalika - rupaka - Swati Tirunal 13'35

B2 Sri Rangapura Vihara - Brindavana Saranga - rupaka - Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar 6'16

R.S. Gopalakrishnan, violin

T.K. Murthy, mridangam

At last I have come to one of my absolute favourite singers, M.S. Subbulakshmi! I will write some more about her when I start posting her concerts. But you will find loads of information about her on the web. Here is one about the recording of Sri Venkatesa Suprabhatam among many other things. Published in The Hindu where you can read some more about her relation to HMV and recording technicians.

The little girl in pavadai chattai, oiled curls pressed into a tight braid, was too timid for noisy games with other children. But she devised a secret game for herself. Rolling waste paper into a cone, she sang into it for hours – pretending to record a ‘plate' for ‘His Master's Voice', then the biggest gramophone company in India.

Little did the child know that one day she would render the company's bestseller in ‘Venkatesa Suprabhatam,' still enjoying the longest shelf life among Indian audio recording. from Recording a Legend by Gowri Ramanyan - read on

What about a little biography? Need someplace to start? Well, for instance wikipedia...

M. S. Subbulakshmi (1916 — 2004)

Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (Tamil: மதுரை சண்முகவடிவு சுப்புலட்சுமி, Mathurai Caṇmukavaṭivu Cuppulaṭcumi ? 16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004), also known as M.S., was a renowned Carnatic vocalist. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. She is the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award, Asia's highest civilian award, in 1974 with the citation reading "Exacting purists acknowledge Srimati M. S. Subbulakshmi as the leading exponent of classical and semi-classical songs in the Karnataka tradition of South India." and continue here...

I first heard her more than forty years ago and the first records was bhajans and the Concert she held in USA at UN. Over the years I have continued to listen to her very regularly and her voice is like a certain antidote to all evil and misfortune. I will post more of her Classical Concerts later but lets first start with something very typical for a morning in the homes in Madras. I am sure that as I am posting this it has already played in many many homes all over Tamil Nadu this morning, and if you start listening late you may as well begin with the B-side!

Suprabhatam, literally an auspicious dawn, is a name given to Sanskrit hymns recited in the morning to awaken the Lord.

The most famous is the Venkatesa Suprabhatam recited at Tirupati to awaken Lord Balaji. The rendition by M.S. Subbulakshmi can be heard in many Tamil houses each morning.

The Venkateswara SuprabhAtam (Morning Prayer/Song of Awakening) is attributed to have been composed at the Tirupati temple by one of Sri Ramanujacharya's disciples.

It was written around A.D. 1500 by Sri Prativadi Bhayankara Annangaracharya of Kanchipuram, who also composed Sri Ranganatha Suprabhatam. Sri Venkatesa Suprabhatam consists of four parts: Suprabhatam, Sri Venkatesa Stothram, Prapatti, and Mangalasasanam.

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