ABSTRACT
A song by the most respected composer in the tradition of South Indian classical music, the poet-singer-saint Tya¯gara¯ja (1767-1847), in a wellknown recording by arguably the most popular South Indian classical singer of the mid-twentieth century. As well as concisely illustrating the basic structures of Indian music-ra¯ga, ta¯la, song form, techniques of improvisation-the recording allows us to explore some of its deeper meanings for a South Indian listener. These include the close relationship between music and spirituality, articulated by the lyrics of the song (which refer to their own composition and musical performance) and reflected in the public image of both the composer and the performer as devotional singers. They also include the social history of the singer, M.S. Subbulakshmi, who successfully transcended negative gender stereotypes to become the favorite singer of Mahatma Gandhi and millions of other Indian listeners, a figurehead for a post-colonial India, and one of the first Indian vocalists to perform on an international platform.
