Priya’s love for the traditional instrument began in 1999 when she studied Carnatic music in India. “The sound of the veena is unlike any other stringed instrument; it provides soothing and divine music,” she says.

But as the long and large instrument requires proper handling and care, many are not keen on learning it and tend to turn to something simpler.

Priya is determined to change this mindset by encouraging budding musicians to pick up the instrument. The 40-year-old runs Sri Ragam Fine Arts in Klang, where she specialises in veenai and Carnatic “sangeetham”.

Carnatic music is commonly associated with South India and is one of two main Indian classical subgenres, the other being Hindustani music.

“I have been teaching Carnatic music for almost 16 years,” she tells FMT. “My students range from age five to 65, including from Ireland and Australia.”

Her father was also a musician. “It hasn’t been easy, but he inspired me to pursue this career and he always believed in me,” she says.

Over the years, her centre has produced many professional Carnatic musicians and organised events in Malaysia and overseas, including the first-ever veenai show in Ireland.

However, like many others, Priya was affected by the lockdown in March last year as she was not able to conduct face-to-face lessons.

As she had already been teaching her overseas students virtually for seven years, the transition to online teaching came naturally to her. But of the 100 students at her centre, only 40 initially participated.

“It was difficult for them to adapt, and many parents feared the online classes would not yield the same results,” she says.

Several parents also thought the fees were not worth it as they deemed online classes to be less effective. “But I still had expenses to cover and a centre to keep running, so I was worried.”

Nevertheless, the shift to online-only ultimately proved advantageous as she was able to increase her student intake to 130, including from Ipoh, Johor, and even Singapore.

“They had previously requested face-to-face classes, but since going online I was able to reach students from all over,” Priya shares happily.

As the situation in Malaysia begins to improve, Priya is able to conduct in-person lessons again. “Online classes were enervating, and I sometimes faced issues such as a weak internet connection, which meant my students could not hear what I was teaching them clearly.”

Priya wants to do all she can to keep Carnatic music alive, and takes advantage of social media to do this. She has also begun orchestrating veenai performances to instil interest and enthusiasm in her students and potential newcomers.

“I have noticed that, generation by generation, the legacy of veenai music is slowly fading and this saddens me,” she says.

“I use my YouTube channel to post videos of my students and share their talent with the world.”

Priya aims to continue sharing her love for this art form and hopes the younger generation, in particular, will carry on the tradition.

To experience the soothing sounds of the veena, visit the Sri Ragam Fine Arts Facebook page or Priya’s YouTube channel.