Thavil virtuoso...Mr. Subramanian

Mr. Subramaniam

A Thavilist, or 'vidthwan' extraordinaire. A shy but a quiescent man; mild-mannered fatherly figure with loads of humility coated with convictions. An advocator of Indian classical music or should I say a maestro and YES I had the rarest honour and privilege of being his close friend during his tenure as a musician at the Bukit Mertajam Shri Mangalanayagi Amman temple.

Mr. Subramanian, an Indian from Tamil Nadu came to Malaysia as an 'artist' on a work visa to play percussion or thavil. No one actually knew his prowess until he began performing. Over the years I've seen a good number of musicians play the thavil but never like this saintly man. This was a man ingrained into his percussion from the age 7. He could make music talk with ease and with such aplomb.


The mornings and evenings, one can hear his rendition of the Thavil accompanied by the temple's flutist 'Nadaswaramist' serenading within the temple grounds.

Mr. Subramaniam has graced and showcased his talent in many parts of the world. What truly amazing is he had participated in more then 650 temple consecrations in his life time. And he was only 59 the day he left for home -  India. There's a saying, a Hindu is blessed if one gets to witness 12 consecrations in one's lifetime. This man, 650. 

On his jovial days, he would tell me stories of temples and his vast experiences with people from all walks of life, including Malaysians. On many occasions he invited me to his lil' abode and made me cakes and brewed coffee and on one chat moment he nonchalantly said, "You're the first and only person I've ever invited to my little room and for that I'm deeply honoured." Reason being no one would take time to befriend or appreciate old Indian classical music or mudician. No grand master musician would ever do as such. Guess I was the luckiest one having graced his companionship.

Mr. Subramanian even shared with me his inner secrets and misgivings of how he was sometimes ill-treated by the temple committee. At times he would pose a look of despair and felt ostracised. There were times he told me of the misbehaviour of certain individuals in the temple, including the temple's priest. Secrets no one talks about within temple grounds.

It was indeed a pleasure listening his percussion 'talk'. I truly enjoyed my time with this fatherly figure and listening to him play his pet instrument was such a pleasure.

I bid him well and God speed.