S Janaki's final concert: Two songs that captivated Gangotri Open Auditorium

MYSURU: Legendary singer S. Janaki, fondly called 'Janaki Amma', leaves behind a timeless musical legacy, with countless songs that continue to live in the hearts of Malayalis. Known for her melodious voice, she recorded more than 48,000 songs in 20 languages during her remarkable career. Apart from Indian languages, she also sang in Japanese, Sinhala, German and Arabic. Many evergreen Malayalam songs that have remained popular across generations owe their lasting appeal to S. Janaki.

During her final public concert in October 2017, S. Janaki delighted fans by singing a few Malayalam songs. The memorable musical evening was held at the Manasa Gangotri Open Auditorium in Mysuru. Many Malayalis were among the audience that had gathered to witness her farewell performance. With her trademark smile and visible emotion, Janaki took to the stage one last time, making it a memorable evening for her fans.

Even at her final concert, Janaki showed no signs of age slowing her down. She performed several songs requested by fans who had travelled from different places to attend the event. Her Malayalam songs received a warm response from the audience. Among the songs she sang were "Sandhye Kanneerilenthe?" from the film Madanolsavam and the evergreen hit "Nadha Nee Varum Kalocha Kelkkuvan..."

S. Janaki made her Malayalam playback singing debut with the song "Irul Moodukayo En Vazhiyil" from the 1957 film Minnunnathellam Ponnalla. That marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey that produced countless memorable songs. After her farewell concert, she politely declined repeated requests from fans to continue performing and chose to step away from the stage and enjoy a quiet retired life.