Shoba Narayan:

She also embarked on many philanthropic activities. She was a lifelong follower of the Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya, whom she called “divinity in flesh and blood,” and ended her concerts with a song that he composed.

She epitomised the virtues of a good Hindu woman. Upon waking, she would draw kolam designs in the courtyard of her home with rice flour, following the Hindu dictum of feeding even the smallest ant and insect. She wore the jewelry considered auspicious for Hindu women: nose-ring, earrings, rings and bangles, toe-rings and anklets, which press acupressure points and release beneficial hormones.

M S was always courteous and respectful to her husband, and he, in turn, couldn’t do enough for her. Their relationship baffled Indian feminists. How could she be so seemingly obsequious and still get her way? M S was above all, humble, the most prized Hindu virtue. When asked what her best quality was, she didn’t mention her music or her divine voice. Instead, she made light of her talents. “Everyone is given a gift and how they use it is up to them,” she said. “I guess what I am most proud of is the fact that I have never thought ill of any person.” Most Indians adore M S; a few even view her as a saint. Her Sanskrit chants welcome devotees in most Hindu temples. Her bhajans are taught to young brides who have to please their in-laws.

Like legions of fans, I am deeply saddened by M S’s death. Losing M S is more than losing a person, a singer. It is the end of a certain lifestyle that she embodied; the end of the attitudes and values that are part of a certain time and place. — Beliefnet.com, concluded