Her first recording was also at the same age, when she recorded a couple of songs 'Marakat vadivu' and 'Oothukuzhiyinile' in an impossibly high pitch for HMV in Madras. She gave her first recital at the tender age of 10, when she was asked to sing at the wedding of a Sourashtra friend of the family in Madurai. She was the child prodigy of Madurai at one time.

Little Kunchamma accompanied her mother in local concerts and later gave solo performances. In the 1930's she learned 'khayals' and 'thumris' from Dwijenderlal Roy in Calcutta and later from Siddheshwari Devi of Benares and bhajans and Rabindra Sangeet from Dilipkumar Roy, she incorporates bhajans in almost all her concerts. She also learned Hindustani music from Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas for a short while.

As a child, when she practiced she would stop playing the tambura in between to check whether she is maintaining the pitch with and without it. Subbalakshmi's perfect pitch whether high or low and fantastic range of voice is the result of her dedication, toil and hours of continuous practice. She did her formal schooling only till class 5th and music became the world for her. But she kept practicing on her own for long hours. Her first Guru was Madurai Srinivasa Iyengar but her lessons could not last long as her guru passed away soon after she finished her foundations. Her mother used to play and rehearse constantly and Kunchamma used to listen and hum ragas along with the Veena and the Nadaswaram recitals frequently heard from the temple. Her grand mother Akkammal was a violinist. Young Kunchamma as she was called and her siblings was brought up in a musical environment in her home close to the Madurai Meenakshi Temple. She was born in Madurai, Tamilnadu on September 16,1916 to noted Veena player Shanmukhavadivu and Layer Subramania Iyer.

There isn't a music fan alive who hasn't hear of a living legend M.S.Subbulakshmi, Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi, known as MS, as she is an icon of the Carnatic Music of India, international celebrity, charisma-plus person and charming lady of incredible humility and more. Madurai Address: No.27, West Anumantharaayar Street, Near Central Theatre, Madurai - 1. Madurai Legend Carnatic Music Singer M.S.Subbulakshmiīharat Ratna Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi, Madurai Born,

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