The hands that once gripped the gun now play the thavil.
G. Raja, born in a family of musicians, opted for a career in the police; but the musician in him remained alive and the day he retired, he resumed the family tradition and became a full-time thavil player. Not only that: he also runs a small unit manufacturing spare parts for thavil.
“In fact, during the last five years of my career, I started playing the thavil and my seniors always encouraged me. When he got to know about my background, [Additional Director General of Police] M. Ravi organised a concert for me at a wedding in Tirupur,” said Mr. Raja, who retired as a sub-inspector of police.
Mr. Raja’s father T.N. Govindasamy Pillai was a thavil player from Thirukannamangai, one of the 108 Vaishnavite pilgrimage centres, in Tirvarur district.
Since it is usual for children of nadaswaram and thavil players to accompany their parents during concerts, Mr. Raja also attended concerts along with his father.
He learnt directly from him and also by observing him play the percussion instrument. His uncle, Thirukannamangai Padmanabhan, was also a well-known thavil player and composer. His mother-in-law Rajalakshmi, a native of Mannargudi, was a nadaswaram player and has visited countries like Singapore for concerts.
“I joined the Police department when I was 18 years and three months old. I had a tough time in the beginning. Once I had to open fire to save my boss, the DSP, during a riot in Kattumannarkoil. Two persons were killed. An inquiry followed and I was transferred to Thanjavur distrct,” said Mr. Raja, recalling how senior officials, including the then DGP, Sripaul, stood by him.
On retiring from service in 2017, he decided to become a full-time musician.
“He has accompanied me in many concerts and plays really well. He has learnt the instrument more by listening to others,” said nadaswaram player Alangudi A.V. Pakkirisami.
Spare parts business
Asked if he ever got nervous when paired with well-known names of the percussion instrument, a confident Mr. Raja said he never faced any difficulty. Mr. Raja said he was now running a thriving business of manufacturing spare parts for the thavil, along with another thavil player, Pandian.
“There is a heavy demand for the rings, covered with animal skin, fixed on the two sides of the thavil. We are sending them to Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and abroad, to countries like Malaysia and Singapore,” said Mr. Raja.