Kathakali music underwent its second wave of key reforms in the 1960s and the 1970s, but young Madambi Subramanian Namboothiri stayed away from a surge of ornamentations his contemporaries infused into the vocals for the dance-theatre. Subramanian adhered to the conventional sensibilities of his gurus at Kalamandalam and earned a reputation as a purist.

According to him, Kathakali vocals do not strictly follow Kerala’s Sopana Sangeetham, which relies largely on plain notes. This view negates the general perception that Kathakali music primarily evolved from the Kottippadi tradition, which once flourished in the state’s temples. “I doubt if Sopanam is a genre,” says Subramanian, citing instances of how Kathakali music, in the past century, has essentially been built on the Carnatic idiom. This substantiates certain scholarly observations about Kathakali music’s resemblance to the Sampradaya bhajan tradition of Tamil Nadu. In fact, Subramanian’s chief tutor, Neelakantan Nambisan, pursued his advanced studies under a classical musician hailing from the Cauvery belt. Neelakantan had, as a teenager, learned under Venkitakrishna Bhagavatar (whose younger brother Palakkad Rama Bhagavatar was a renowned Carnatic vocalist), while his forefathers were namasankirtana exponents.

Neelakantan trained many disciples, one of them being Madambi Subramanian, who joined Kalamandalam as a 16-year-old in 1957. His batchmates and juniors were Sankaran Embranthiri, M. Hyderali and Venmani Haridas, who infused romanticism into Kathakali music, a feature that continues to define the art form’s spirit to this day.

None in that famed trio is alive today. At 85, Madambi Subramanian, known by the name of his house at Sreekrishnapuram in Palakkad district, is among the leading Kathakali musicians who wields the chengila (metallic gong) in a distinct style. “Musicians lead the show. It’s a delicate task to keep time,” he points out. “The vocalists aren’t subservient to the dancers, but at the same time, they shouldn’t overshadow the main artistes. Hence stage conduct is important,” he adds.

Subramanian, who has been trained in the northern (Kalluvazhi) style at Kalamandalam, points out that within a school, masters develop individual styles. “You need to understand that and perform accordingly,” says the veteran, who lives in Cheruthuruthy, far from his alma mater, from where he retired three decades ago.

Subramanian’s tryst with Carnatic music began before he joined Kalamandalam. As a boy, he was initiated into it by the legendary Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar. He was subsequently trained by senior mridangist Kongorpilly Parameswaran in the foundational janta-varisai exercise. For a brief period, Subramanian also trained under Ramankutty Warrier, the foremost disciple of Neelakantan Nambisan. The training method at Kalamandalam was rigorous: from pre-dawn hours to supper time. Interspersed with this was vocal training under Kavungal Madhava Panikkar for cholliyattam in Kathakali classrooms.

Lakkidi Sivaraman Nair taught Subramanian to play for the traditional invocatory dances, Thodayam and Purappad. “The opening piece is set in raga Gambhira Natta. Its use here is most likely derived from Mallari,” says Subramanian, referring to the nagaswaram-thavil composition performed in temple processions across Tamil Nadu.

Borrowings from Carnatic music notwithstanding, Kathakali has melodies that are uniquely its own. Puraneera, Kanakurinji, Ghantaram and Indalam are among them. “We should never superimpose anything on them. Also, some Carnatic ragas used in Kathakali assume local flavours. Such strains may be considered ‘unscientific’, but let them be so,” insists the veteran.

Subramanian is not one for experimentation or impulsive sangatis. “Times have changed, but I have not. I know my limitations,” says the maestro, who was a recipient of The Music Academy’s TTK award 2025.