M.S. Subbulakshmi

We have heard the music of these legends. But do we know that…? 


Little MS made tamarind lollipops and mud pies when her mother was away …a mesmerized Lata Mangeshkar  put off her recording for another day after she heard young MS sing…. a mami rudely turned away  the five-year-old GNB saying that he could not sing at her house during Navaratri… the letters GNB became an acronym for his unique style  of music described as the Great New Bani… a physically debilitated Madurai Mani Iyer  sang with so much joy  that he won the appreciation of both the Mylapore mama  and the Mambalam rickshawalah …and Tanjavur Kamakshi, daughter of Veena Dhanammal, enrolled her daughter Brinda under Naina Pillai unmindful of Dhanam’s caustic remark,” As if there is no music at home that you have to go in search of it elsewhere.”


Irrepressible urge, fiery pursuit of passion, unshackling of fetters, mockery of obstacles, and finally…. the grand flowering, the stories of these artistes are as unique as they are emotional in content. 


For the first-time-ever, Pictures of Melody, a series of graphic biographies provides an intimate glimpse into the lives and contributions of leading Carnatic music legends.  Condensed but complete, these 24-page pictorials go beyond narrating the lives and contributions of these legends to offer a peek into their ancestry as well.  Impeccably researched facts are presented with the aid of beautiful illustrations and authentic photographs to offer the reader a bonanza of a visual experience as well. Authenticated by the prime disciples and descendants of the legends in focus, these books are a must read and a treasure to preserve for the musically driven.