Abhilash Pudukad,44,from Thrissur district in Kerala, was shattered by news of S. Janaki's death on July 11,2026. His phone buzzed with messages—he hoped it was just another rumor. Days before,he'd video-called Janaki,known to many as "Janaki Amma." But news channels and internet confirmed the worst.
Janaki,who died at 88,wasn't just legendary playback singer. She was a beloved figure in lives of many,including Abhilash's family. Her songs were woven into their daily life. Abhilash's childhood memories are filled with her music,played on old Sanyo tape recorder.
His parents were die-hard fans,their home filled with her melodies. His father often replayed "Singara Velane Deva" from the 1962 Tamil film Konjum Salangai. His mother's favorite was "Innale Neeyoru" from the 1970 Malayalam film Sthree. unwritten rule: whenever Janaki's songs aired on All India Radio,Abhilash had to adjust the volume.
By tenth grade,Abhilash truly appreciated Janaki's art. He began collecting her songs,amassing over 10,000 cassettes that filled sacks in their modest home . His passion caught a local panchayat member's eye,landing him a spot in a vernacular daily,making him a minor celebrity.
In Abu Dhabi for work,Abhilash's admiration for Janaki grew. He joined the Janaki Yahoo Group,connecting with fellow fans. This led to meeting Dr. Sreekumar,another devotee. A life-changing moment came when Janaki herself answered a call from Dr. Sreekumar,inviting Abhilash to meet her in Sharjah.
During that meeting,Janaki welcomed them with orange juice. Abhilash was speechless when she sang "Kesadipadam Thozhunnen," the song that won him school contest. This marked the start of a personal relationship lasting until her death. Abhilash called her weekly,treated her like family,and visited her in Chennai with gifts during holidays.
Janaki attended Abhilash's wedding in 2014,becoming significant part of his family's life,even renaming his daughter from Vedatmika to Aatmika. In 2014,he published the first volume of his book,Aalapanathile Thenum Vayambum,a collection of articles about her songs,followed by second volume the next year. He takes pride that his work remains the only comprehensive book about her in any language.
Abhilash has meticulously preserved his collection of Janaki’s songs,including rare tracks in Tulu,Badaga,Saurashtra,and Bengali. He's reached out to cultural organizations,urging them to honor her legacy by dedicating space to her contributions,offering to share his collection and photographs.
Last time Abhilash saw Janaki was during Vishu in Hyderabad in 2024,with his son,Aadmaj Perumal . Reflecting on her absence,he's unsure how her loss will affect his life. "There hasn’t been single day when I didn’t speak about her to someone. There is a void that can never be filled," he lamented.
