NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 11, 2007: The Indian Musical Academy recently honored Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, Vidhwan Dr. Balamuralikrishna, Smt Girija Devi, Maestro Illyaraja and Asha Bhonsle for their outstanding musical achievement. Indian President Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam’s gave a speech at the event and his remarks included his personal experience with music’s religious expression. A few of his remarks follow, “Dear friends, I will now talk to you about mother of Carnatic music M. S. Subbulakshmi. First time in the year 1950, I heard her when I was studying in the college at Trichy during Thiagaraja festival at Tiruvaiyar, in January every year. I heard MS Subbulakshmi singing the famous Thiagaraja keertana ‘Endaro Mahaanubhavalu andhariggi vandanamulu.’ This song really entered into me and blossomed happiness in my body and soul. The meaning was so powerful; I was moved and became a lifetime fan of M S. I started liking her statement in the music Academy, linking music with Bhakti.
” ‘Bhakti,’ said M. S. Subbulakshmi, ‘is nothing but the devotion we show to the divinity that resides within us. Once we regard the divinity within us with devotional fervor, we are bound to develop the same affection towards everything outside. The reason is that the same divine truth runs through all things. When the devotee has attained this state, service to the world becomes his creed.’ I used to meet her in music concerts. It was a great joy for me when M. S. was honored with Bharata Ratna in 1998 at Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhavan. I was sitting by her side. She gave one statement which I would like to recall “Any raga has the purpose of directing the minds of the listeners towards God and His manifestations.”
To read President Kalam’s full remarks go to the source URL.