Wordswithanu : Anupama Madhubhashinie

23/08/2026

A Life That Inspired Generations 🌹🕊️

Also..as Janmashtami draws close 🦚 🪈
A day after we set her mortal remains free, we celebrate the 83rd birthday of Dr. Nanda Malini Madam.

How profoundly close—and how incredibly fickle—life is. Birth and death stand so close to one another, reminding us of the precious, fleeting nature of our existence. 🕊️

Happy 83rd Birthday, Nanda Malini Madam. ❤️ May you continue to inspire generations upon generations, and may you rest in eternal peace. 🙏🏽

I feel deeply privileged to have lived in a time when Nanda Malini Madam was alive—to have witnessed her, heard her sing live, met her at various events, and, most memorably, to have seen her stand with us in protest at Gotagoma in 2022.

Future generations may know her through history, recordings and stories, but they will never have the privilege we had of simply being alive at the same time as her. And for that, I am profoundly grateful. ❤️

This is a little rendition of “Yamuna Ganthera,” one of her classics, offered with love and reverence as my humble tribute on her 83rd birthday. 🎶🌹

May the music live on.
May the memories live on.
May the inspiration live on. ✨

Happy Birthday, Dr. Nanda Malini Madam.
May you rest in eternal peace. 🕊️🙏🏽

🎶🌹🕊️🙏🏽

21/08/2026

🕊️ A LEGENDARY VOICE FALLS SILENT, BUT HER SONGS WILL NEVER DIE… 🕊️

Today, Sri Lanka mourns the loss of one of its most extraordinary musical voices — Nanda Malini. 💔

For more than three generations, she was not merely a singer. She was a voice of conscience, courage, rebellion, love, longing and hope. Through her unmistakable voice and deeply powerful songs, she touched hearts, challenged conventions and inspired generations to think, question and stand up for what they believed in.

And for me, there was something especially moving about seeing her stand with the young people of the 2022 Aragalaya. 🇱🇰✊🏽

As someone who was deeply and actively involved in the people's dissent during the Aragalaya, I will always remember how powerful it was to see this legendary woman — who had already inspired generations before many of us were even born — standing shoulder to shoulder with a new generation of young protesters.

She didn't simply belong to the past.

She stood with the present.

At a time when an entire generation was finding its voice, Nanda Malini was there with us — actively participating, expressing dissent and lending her presence to a people's movement that demanded change. Seeing her among the youth was profoundly inspiring. It was a beautiful reminder that the spirit of courage, questioning and rebellion does not belong to any one generation.

Her songs had challenged, awakened and inspired generations. And in 2022, she was still standing with the people.

That image will stay with me. ❤️

And perhaps what makes her passing even more painful is that we are living through a season where so many of our childhood heroes are leaving us.

One by one, the voices, faces and artists who shaped the soundtrack of our childhood are becoming memories. The people we grew up watching, listening to and admiring — the people who seemed somehow permanent, almost immortal — are reminding us that an entire era is slowly passing away.

We are not only mourning the people we loved. We are mourning pieces of our own childhood. 💔

There was something profoundly unique about Nanda Malini — a voice that could be tender yet fierce, devotional yet rebellious, haunting yet empowering. She sang not simply to entertain, but to say something, awaken something and leave something behind.

And she did.

Generations came and went, but her music remained.

Today, we don't simply say goodbye to a singer. We bow before a legend who gave Sri Lanka a voice that can never truly be silenced.

May her soul find eternal peace. 🕊️

And may her songs continue to rise from generation to generation — reminding us that art can carry truth, that music can become resistance, and that a voice can continue to inspire people long after the person is gone.

Thank you, Nanda Malini, for the music, the courage, the dissent, the rebellion, the beauty and the truth.

Your voice may have left this world, but your song will live forever. ❤️🇱🇰

🕊️❤️🇱🇰

20/08/2026

🙏 🧿🪄

15/08/2026

🇮🇳✨ Jana Gana Mana — a salutation to the spirit of Bharat. ✨🇮🇳

On the 80th Independence Day of India, I offer my heartfelt Pranām to Bharat — a civilisation whose richness lives not only in its monuments, but in its music, dance, philosophy, languages, spirituality and living traditions. 🙏🏽🪷

There is something profoundly beautiful about “Jana Gana Mana.” Written by Rabindranath Tagore, the National Anthem brings together the many geographical and cultural identities of India — Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha, Dravida, Utkala and Banga — under one larger consciousness. 🇮🇳

Its power lies in this idea of unity without erasing diversity. The anthem does not ask Bharat to become one colour, one language or one tradition. Instead, it celebrates the many streams that flow into the greater identity of the nation. 🌺🎶🕉️

As an artist deeply inspired by Indian classical music, dance, Sanskrit traditions and the vast cultural heritage of Bharat, I bow with gratitude to the land that has given the world such extraordinary philosophies, artistic traditions and spiritual wisdom.

And from Sri Lanka, a heartfelt धन्यवाद • ধন্যবাদ • ਧੰਨਵਾਦ • धन्यवाद • நன்றி • धन्यवादम् —
Thank you, Bharat, for your rich heritage, timeless wisdom, and your enduring friendship with Sri Lanka. 🇮🇳🤍🇱🇰

स्वतंत्रता दिवस की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ!
Happy 80th Independence Day, Bharat! 🇮🇳✨

With love and Pranām,
Anu 🪷

🇮🇳🪷🎶💫🙏🏽❤️

14/08/2026

🌟 Raw. Unfiltered. Joyfully chaotic. Hawa Hawai. 🌟

A little throwback from Mehfil 3.0, performing the iconic Hawa Hawai from the timeless classic Mr. India — trying to channel the magic of Sridevi ji and Kavita Krishnamurti ji, while bringing my own comic nuances to those nasal, childish tones, expressions and characterisation. 🎤💃😂

Doing all of this while navigating the beautiful unpredictability of live singing takes a whole lot of strength — but having this much fun on stage makes every challenge worth it! ❤️

And what a team behind me! A huge thank you to our brilliant Mehfil band and Ridma on backing vocals for being absolutely wonderful. 🎶✨

The greatest joy for an artiste, though, is hearing and watching the audience perform with you. To our beautiful Mehfil audience — thank you for singing, laughing, responding and becoming part of the performance. You made this moment truly unforgettable. 🥹❤️

🌸 Sridevi ji, on your birth anniversary — happy birthday.

You lived a life that inspired the world, beautified the world and expressed itself with such extraordinary freedom and individuality — truly resonating with the very frequency of your name.

Thank you for your life, your artistry and your magic. There was, is and will be none like you. One and only. Irreplaceable. ❤️✨

And a heartfelt salute to the extraordinary artists who created this immortal piece:

🎼 Music: Laxmikant–Pyarelal
✍️ Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
💃 Choreography: Saroj Khan
🎬 Director: Shekhar Kapur
🎤 Playback: Kavita Krishnamurti ji
🌟 Screen icon: Sridevi ji

Hawa Hawai | Mr. India | Mehfil 3.0 🎶✨

🌸🎤💃✨❤️

14/08/2026

No weird, wannabe accent — just polite, genuine, and beautifully put-together. 🤍✨ She genuinely put in the effort, and it showed.

Cheers to this lovely girl and the joy of a truly wonderful salon experience! 🥂💇‍♀️💫

14/08/2026