Dhruva Natchathiram, Lalitha Ram’s biography of mridangam wizard Palani Subramaniya Pillai, starts with a gentle advice bordering on reprimand by Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. In the Palakkad-accented Tamil of his, Bhagavathar lavishes praise on Palani Subbudu for his Kanakku, korvai (a...