Murugaiyan was born in Kongampattu village in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu. Later he chose to live in Chinna Kottakuppam in Puducherry Union Territory. His father Vivekanandam was also a thavil musician and Murugaiyan learned the initial lessons in thavil from his father. He completed three years of study at the Govt Music College, Thiruvaiyaru and graduated with a degree in thavil. Later he learned everything about thavil from Valayapatti A R Subramaniam, a thavil exponent