“Endaro mahanubhaavulu, andariki vandanamulu.”One of such mahanubhavulu is a woman who effortlessly makes it into the category of divine singers. The notes she hits seem humanly impossible, and yet watching her sing makes you believe in miracles. Her voice is probably what the Gods would sound like if they sang. You guys already know I’m talking about the one and only, K.S. Chitra!! There is so much about her that amazes us from the smallest of details! Writing this post was a struggle as anything we write somehow didn’t do justice to her greatness. But we try! Take a look!
Let’s begin with the titles. Okay, deep breath!
Padmashri, Honorary Doctortate, Kalaimamani, Little Nightingale and Kerala Samsthana Vanitha Rathnam. Whew!
This extremely addictive song from the movie Bombay, Kannanule song (in its Tamil version) is a part of The Guardian’s 1000 songs you have to hear.
It takes more than 10 minutes to only read through the number of awards she got in her life. She won 140 awards in total!
Winning one National Award in one lifetime is an achievement in itself and then there is Chitra! She won six!! And that is the highest any woman has ever won.
Do you know who sang the highest number of songs for Ilayaraja and A. R Rehman? Well now you do!
She is considered to be the first Indian Woman to perform in the British Parliament. She sang for the House of Commons!
While she sang 25000 songs in 12 languages in her career, she has also delivered hundreds of live shows. There isn’t one continent in the world that she didn’t grace with her voice.
She launched a fundraising organization, Sneha Nandana, to raise funds for the welfare of retired musicians who have lost their careers due to changes in the music industry.
Bonus! Here’s a little anecdote about her!
She arrived late to her very 1st recording with SPB and Ilayaraja, and was so tense that she began to cry. Ilayaraja gifted her, his prized possession, a picture frame of Tyagaraju, which she till date worships in her puja room.
Source: iQlik Movies
Her jukebox was playing through the entire time I wrote this article. You should bask in her perfection too!! Here are her best solos!
