MB#41: 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮.

[MemoirBlogthon #41] Music was the steady heartbeat of our home, driven by my mother's daily rendering of keerthanas and my father's thoughtful patronage of the arts. His subscription to Carnatic concerts and his attempts to nurture musical talent in his children created a deep, shared harmony that lasted his lifetime.

MB#41: The Framed Portrait and My Parents' Love for MS Subbulakshmi

Music was never just background noise in our house; it was a revered activity, driven by the quiet passion of my parents.

My mother, a devotee of the classical arts, had a favorite song: the 'Himagiri-thanaya Keerthana'. She would sing it almost daily in the puja room, especially loving the rendition by her favorite singer, the legendary Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi. Smt. MS Subbulakshmi, a true national icon and the first musician to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, held a special place in our home.

My father, Sri Susarla Subrahmanya Sastry, acknowledged this devotion with a beautiful, lasting gesture. He acquired a portrait of MS Subbulakshmi from a calendar of musicians, had it professionally framed, and gifted it to my mother. This portrait was displayed prominently in our living room, an unspoken signal to every visitor that our family deeply admired music and musicians.

My father was not content with passive admiration; he was a thoughtful patron. He subscribed to family tickets for the Sadguru Sangeetha Sabha, a major Carnatic music organization in Vijayawada. This meant frequent evenings spent attending concerts by renowned vocalists like Smt. ML Vasantha Kumari and Sri Nedunuri Krishnamurthy. During the 1970s and 80s, Vijayawada's cultural calendar was rich, and the annual Thyagaraja Aradhana music festival was a cultural highlight we rarely missed. Accompanying my father, and sometimes my grandparents, to these concert halls was a foundational, shared experience that deepened our connection to the tradition.

My mother always hoped to instill this talent in us. She arranged for a staff vocalist, Shri NCV Jagannadha Charyulu, to tutor my sister at home. She encouraged me to join the lessons, hoping I might learn to sing devotional songs like her. However, the tutor had a pragmatic view of my future music path. He advised that my voice was bold and not ideally suited for classical vocal music, but he prescribed instrumental training, suggesting the tabla or violin—a recommendation often preferred for young men at the time.

Although my musical path veered, the intention was clear: my father was actively invested in nurturing a love for art within the family. Even in his ripe old age, he maintained his connection to sound, keeping the radio close, listening to both classical ragas and cherished old Cine music songs.

It was through these concerts, this framed portrait, and this quiet encouragement that my father ensured that a deep, enduring harmony would always resonate in our family life.

MB#41: Quiz

MB41—Question: What activity performed daily by the author's mother was the key musical element in the home?

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• A. Playing the sitar.
• B. Daily rendering of 'keerthanas.'
• C. Listening to the radio.
• D. Teaching music lessons.

MB#41: Quote

"Where words fail, music speaks."