The Tamil blockbuster Thillana Mohanambal centers on a clash between dancer Thiruvarur Mohanambal and nagaswaram pro Sikkil Shanmugasundaram. The novel by Kothamangalam Subbu adds a key detail: Shanmugasundaram must perform the thillana on the Pari nagaswaram. This special instrument is played only at the Thyagarajaswamy Temple in Tiruvarur by a single family over generations. It requires rare lung power and produces a strong sound that fills the temple’s four entrances. S. Palaniappan, the 23rd-generation player, says, “It is played only during the sayaratchai (evening poojas) at the temple. Its sound can be heard at all four entrances of the sprawling temple complex.” The nagaswaram tradition includes two types of pipes: the Kumbakonam timiri and the Thiruvarur Pari. The timiri was replaced by the longer Pari, invented by T.R. Rajarathinam Pillai, as it was easier on health and allowed pure madhyama notes. The Pari nagaswaram has remained unchanged for centuries. Spiritually, it is linked to Thyagarajaswamy, who came with 18 instruments including the Pari nagaswaram and Kudamuzha. The pipe is wooden, and the sound enhancer is brass. Ancestors never played it outside the temple. They received ivory and stone nagaswarams from kings and performed only inside. Palaniappan reveals, "It is said they would drink one padi of ghee to gain the energy required to play the ivory nagaswaram." His musical lineage traces back to Ramaswamy Dikshitar, father of Carnatic great Muthuswamy Dikshitar. The temple hosts two main festivals yearly: the 10-day Margazhi Thiruvathiri and the 27-day Panguni Uthira Thiruvizha. On the 23rd night, the deity rides the Aazhi Ther accompanied by 18 instruments, including the Pari nagaswaram and thavil drum. The temple proud tradition divides festival music into eight zones, prescribing specific ragas and pieces daily. Musicologist P. Sambamoorthy once preserved the rare Telugu opera Pallahi Seva Prabandam by King Shahaji, dedicated to Thyagarajaswamy, by recording elderly singer Veerammal’s performances. Palaniappan shares Kothamangalam Subbu was inspired by the devadasi Gnanathammal dancing to four nagaswarams and thavils. "The nagaswaram player Samikannu in the novel is based on my great-grandfather Samiappa Nayanakkarar, and Kodi Veetu Kuppu, who causes trouble, was my grandfather," he adds. This rich blend of music, tradition, and temple life gives the Pari nagaswaram its unique status—living proof of Tamil Nadu’s deep cultural roots.