Friday 30 June 2017

Pambai

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

Pambai, a pair of drums, is an integral part of folk ensembles and temple festivals.

The inspiration for this week’s column came from the festival at our father’s native place Madurai. We offered prayers to our Kuladeivam and witnessed the temple festival, where they played the twin drums. Fascinated by its sound we decided to know more about the instrument.

The instrument is known as Pambai/Pampai, which is a pair of drums cylindrical in shape. Also known as Pamba, this instrument with four faces, conjoined and kept one on top of the other, comes under the category of the Avanaddha Vadyas. In the pair, the longer one having a deeper tone is known as the Periya (big) Kottu while the smaller one, the Siriya (small) Kottu.

Different materials are used to make this instrument. The Periya Kottu is made of maram or wood and is also referred to as the Veeru Vanam while the Siriya Kottu is made of Vengalam or brass and is also known as the Vengala Pambai. In some simpler varieties, both the instruments are made of wood. Both the heads are covered with goat skin, attached to a wooden ring with holes through which pass cords joining both faces.

Periya kottu is around 18 inches in length while Siriya Kottu is around 15 inches. As the performers tie this instrument to their waist, they feel comfortable playing them in a standing position. It is also sometimes played in a sitting posture.

The Pambai is played with a stick and sometimes with both stick and hand. Set to a fixed pitch, slow, fast and complex rhythm patterns are produced.

Pambai is used in village temple festivals, as part of an ensemble of folk instruments and as an accompaniment for karagam, poi kal kudhirai, mayilattam and kavadi performances. It is an important instrument used during the thiruvizha in Madurai Thalaiyari Gurunathan temple and Ayyanarpuram for Goddess Angala Parameswari. It is one of the important instruments played during the Panguni Uthiram festival in Palani, held during the month of March. The Pambalas community of southern Andhra Pradesh are said to be the experts in playing this instrument.

Mention about this instrument has been made in the Sangam literature, where the sound of the Pambai is compared to that of the hound dogs.

In the book titled ‘Alaya Vazhipaatil Isai Karuvigal’ by Kausalya R., there is an interesting story associated with the instrument. It is mentioned that during the reign of King Tirumalai Nayakar, an artist called Andi was playing this instrument on the path frequented by the king; hanging it upside down from a tree .

When the king asked Andi why he was playing the instrument in a peculiar way, he replied that there was no place to dry the skin of Pampai. The king pointed towards a rock, now known as Andi Parai, for the purpose.

This instrument is on the verge of extinction. Measures need to be taken to save this musical tradition.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/Double-impact/article15472362.ece

Wednesday 28 June 2017

Kingri

Gethuvadyam

When strings produce rhythmic beats

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

Gethuvadyam has close links to Avudayarkoil.

Pudukottai has been our favourite destination for two reasons: This is where the adhistanam of Sri Judge Swamigal is. He is our spiritual guru Sri Santhananda Swamigal’s parama guru. The temple of Goddess Bhuvaneswari is also located here.
During one of our trips, we visited the famous Avudayarkoil, where we heard about the instrument gethuvadyam.
Earlier, while doing research on rare musical instruments , we had come across this one.
Gethuvadyam (also known as getchuvadyam or gettuvadyam) is a string instrument that comes under the category of chord /stringed percussion and is today played by only a few musicians. A hammered lute, the gethuvadyam resembles the tambura and veena. It is about 2-3 ft long having a neck with four strings and is fretless. It has a spheroid-shaped kudam with a flat bottom. There is a fixed bridge set at the chest of the kudam through which the strings pass. A mobile bridge is inserted at the requisite place on the left side of the trunk to obtain sthayi sruti. The gethuvadyam has no suraikkudukkai. The yaali of the gethuvadyam faces upwards and serves as a pad to ensure that the instrument rests firmly on the ground.
The strings are made up of metal. The four strings are attached to the biradais or the pegs for tightening or loosening the strings at the top, while there are beads for the micro tuning near the bridge.
The strings are tuned to the madhya sthayi shadjam, anumandra sthayi shadjam, anumandra sthayi panchama and tara sthayi shadjam.
It is played with two bamboo mallets or sticks having two handles. These sticks are well chiselled. The metallic ring has a couple of small balls attached inside and gives a jingling effect.
Of the two mallets, one is short and the other long. The short left stick strikes all the strings simultaneously and usually at the middle of the trunk. It produces regular rhythmic beats. The right stick is chiselled as a flat spatula and produces complex rhythmic beats.
According to Auvudayarkoil Subramanyam, exponent of the gethuvadyam, limited and measured jingle, with the finely tuned string base, brings out the proper sruti melakattu .
In concerts, it is performed along with the mridangam.

There is a legend behind this instrument. It is said that the king of Thanjavur along with his men went on a sethu yatra and visited Avudayarkoil (this is also known as Tiruperundurai). The temple is unique as both Sri Athmanathar and his consort Yogambigai are in the Arupa or formless nature. Here, Siva is represented by ‘Avudayar’. Since the goddess Yogambikai is said to be in meditation, no instruments, (not even nagaswaram) were allowed only from the second prakaram. The Thanjavur king and his retinue were received by the king of Ramnad Sethu Samasthanam.The king was accompanied by two singers, who sang and also played the gethuvadyam.
Apparently, one night a small girl came in the dream of both the kings. She said that the Thanjavur singers’ music was conducive to meditation and wanted them to continue singing in the shrine accompanied by their instruments, the gethuvadyam and veena.
The Thanjavur king made the singers stay permanently in the temple to sing and play the gethuvadyam. Hence, gethuvadyam came to be the only instrument allowed inside the inner prakaram of the temple and the tradition continues. And the gethuvadyam came to be associated with the Goddess. This instrument with the patronage of the Sethupathis (rulers of Ramnad) were brought on to the concert platform later on.
It is said that Harikatha exponent Ennapadam Venkitaramana Bhagavathar’s father Padmanabha Iyer and his grandfather were experts in singing the kritis of Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar to the accompaniment of gethuvadyam, which they played themselves.
It is sad that there are few who play this instrument today. The good thing is that Avudayarkoil Subramaniam has been teaching a few students to play it. But greater effort is required to sustain this tradition.
(The writers are well known Carnatic musicians)

As the gethuvadyam is performed in the Yogambikai sannadhi, it became associated with the Goddess.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/When-strings-produce-rhythmic-beats/article17156727.ece#!

Makudam

Rhythms of rituals - Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

The makudam is the sole legacy of the Kaniyan community.

Tirunelveli was our destination for a concert, and the itinerary naturally included a visit to the Nellaiappar-Kanthimathi temple and the savouring of the famous dish of the region, iruttu kadai halwa.
We also learnt about an indigenous musical instrument called makudam that is played during Kanniyan Koothu, performed by the Kaniyan community. Only the men perform this folk form. Legend has it that in order to sing and dance for the deity Sudalai Madan, who was sent to earth, some performers were also brought down.
The Kanniyan Koothu takes place during the annual three-day celebration called Kodai, where the spirit of Sudalai is invoked.

The performance combines music, singing, dance and narration. The Kanniyan Koothu is also known as Makudatam. It has a lead singer, called Annavi, a secondary singer, two drummers and two dancers dressed as women.
The two drummers play the makudams, which is a one headed, small, circular drum. It is hung from the shoulder and played with both hands. Sometimes it is tied to the wrist of the performer.
The drum is of two kinds, the low-pitched mantha makudam and the high-pitched vucha makudam. The drummers play one each. These drums produce rhythmic patterns, unique to the instruments. The two drummers play, standing next to the lead singer.
The drums are made from the wood of the poovarasu or neem tree. The makudam is supposedly the sole legacy of this community.

The energy is gripping as the high-pitched singing is accompanied by the high-speed drumming.
The Koothu is traditionally performed only during temple functions and not at social events. During festivals, this performance lasts for about eight hours, beginning late night and going on till wee hours of the morning.
There is no formal training and those interested may join the performers and assist them, while familiarising themselves with the stories, the singing, drumming, dancing and narration. Kanniyan Koothu is a dying art form and needs patronage to protect it for posterity.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/Rhythms-of-rituals/article14550895.ece

Thudumbu

Rhythm of celebration

Dr. M. Lalitha & M. Nandini

Thudumbu and Thudumbattam are played at temple festivals in and around Coimbatore.

We went to Coimbatore for a concert but decided to stay back for a short holiday and ended up doing research on the instrument thudumbu, locally known as jamab.
Thudumbu belongs to the Kovai (Coimbatore) region. It is also known as kidumutti, thidumam, uruti and chera thudumbu.
The origin of the name thudumbu has been attributed to the Thudumbars, a tribal community living in Pollachi, Mettupalayam, Karamadai, Nilgris and Kovai areas. It is learnt that the members of this community used to serve and entertain the Chola, Chera and the Pandya kings and feudal lords,who went for ‘vana bhojana’ in the forests. The thudumbu was also played to chase away the wild animals.
According to another theory, thudumbu was introduced by the Vijayanagar empire and Thudumbattam became popular in Coimbatore and nearby areas.
The bowl-shaped thudumbu that resembles the bayan of the tabla is made of mud. Its single face is covered with skin and connected with chords to the bottom of the instrument. It is either hung over the waist of the performer and played or held between the legs and played with two sticks.
Thudumbu is played at the temples of Mariamman, Pechiamman, Madurai Veeran, Annanmar, Palani, Marudhamalai and at the Karamadai Aranganathar temple. This instrument can be heard during the Veedi Ula. It is an integral part of temple festivities, including Makaliamman Festival at Krishnapuram Pudur. It seems that in the Kovai region no tiruvizha is complete without the performance of the thudumbu.
It is usually played along with manmelam but sometimes with kombu and thavil. Thudumbattam is a folk art of Tamil Nadu and is performed by a group of men.

According to a legend, once when Lord Ranganatha was being taken out in a procession, thudumbattam was performed by the cobblers. It began to rain heavily and the performers used their thudumbus as umbrella for the Lord. Since then, on the day of Lord Ranganatha’s ‘mandagapadi’ they were given the special honour of carrying the pandham (or the torch) for the temple yaga.
In Karamadai temple, this instrument is played during the ‘Pandha Sevai’ or the torch-bearing ceremony that takes place the day after the car festival. The thudumbu is played to cheer the people carrying pandhams. It is also played during Kadavu Maththattam, a folk dance performed as part of the Kambathadi puja held in Mariamman temples.
The instrument can be heard at the periya salangai attam at amman temples. Thudumbattam is performed by the Sakkilayars during the Sri Pattatharasi Amman temple festival in Pollachi, where the goddess is carried to the nearby Ranganatha temple in a temple car. Differenttalas such as Adaththala Adi (where Adi signifies a beat), Savaari Adi, Othai Adi, Irandam Adi and so on are associated with different rituals.
The Thudumbattam ensemble usually consists of thudumbu, base drums, tappattai, murakose and dasara. Thudumbu and tappu are also performed in Jikattam, popular in Coimbatore and Pollachi. The team of performers comprise 16 men, 10 of whom play the instruments, while the other six dance to the music. Jikkattam is performed mainly during temple celebrations.
Sakti, who plays the thudumbu, says that this instrument has found its way to Kerala, where it is known as the thambolam melam. This can be heard during festival mainly in and around Palakkad, Koyyamarakkadu and Attapadi and Kizhakkumpattukara.
(The writers are veteran Carnatic violinists.)
http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/Rhythm-of-celebration/article16059765.ece

Chimta

Music

Tongs keep the tempo

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

On the trail of the Chimta, popular in North India.

As we were scheduled to perform in Mumbai, we included a visit to Shirdi on our itinerary. After the concert, we headed to the town for a darshan and to see the Sai museum.
The Sai Sansthan has preserved many of the things used by Sai Baba. One that aroused our curiosity is the musical instrument chimta, which was used by Baba and his disciple Abdul. We started researching the instrument and its connection to divinity.
The chimta is an idiophone or a ghana vadya coming under the category of metallic percussion instruments without membranes attached to it. Chimta is played mostly in North India, mainly in Punjab. It is also found in the central province of Pakistan. This rhythm instrument has two long pieces of flat iron strips with pointed ends. A metal ring is used to join the ends of the two strips, which are fitted with metal or brass rings, bells and circular discs. The instrument is played with both hands The chimta is used mainly to keep the beat of a song.
It is said to be made by the Lohars belonging to the Kshatriya community. The chimta, (which means a pair of tongs) is used as an accompaniment to the devotional music sung at Gurudwaras during Gurbani, also known as Shabad, which is from the Guru Granth Sahib that even mentions raags and taals it should be performed in.
Chimta is also used while singing kirtans and bhajans in temples or congregations. The chimta is played along with the dholak and at weddings, it is paired with the dhol. It accompanies the Bhangra dancers and is also a part of Punjabi folk music.
The chimta, ektara and dhol are played during Giddha, a Punjabi folk dance. This dance is performed more during Teej. Chimta is also played for the Malwai Giddha dance, which originated in the Malwai region. There are a variety of chimtas such as those with small rings used for Bhangra performances and the bigger ones played at village festivals. This instrument also has an important place in Sufi and Qawwali performances.
The tradition of playing the chimta for hymns can be traced back to the Jogis or the Naths. The instrument, also known as ‘tambourine sword’ and ‘fire tong,’ is played during the Gugga dance, as part of worship of Gugga or Gogaji in Haryana, Punjab, Uttarkhand, Himachal, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Panch vir or panch bhagats, who sing songs or bhajans in praise of Gogaji, carry their own musical instruments including the chimta, deru ( a small side drum), dholak and manjira. This takes place in the villages of Haryana, especially during the month of Bhadra. The chimta, is essential to the music of Himachal Pradesh too.
Our trip over, we left Shirdi with the sounds of chimta echoing in our ears.
(The writers are veteran violinists)
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/chimta-a-musical-instrument-was-also-played-by-shirdi-sai-baba/article8649722.ece

Kodukotti

Friday Review

Plays a major role in folk art

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

In Tiruvarur, rare musical instruments are played such as panchamukha vadyam, Bari nayanam and Kodukotti.

This time our destination was Tiruvarur to perform for the Trinity music festival, which again was held at the residence of Muthuswamy Dikshitar. We presented the compositions of Dikshitar on the occasion, after which we visited the well-known Tyagaraja temple.
Tiruvarur has a rich history for using rare musical instruments and it was no wonder when we saw the rare panchamukha vadyam, Bari nayanam and Kodukotti there. These instruments come under the category of the avanaddha vadyas. According to Professor P. Sambamurthy, Kidikatti or Kodukotti is an ancient instrument, which looks like a flower pot, is made out of the Jackfruit wood. It is narrow towards the bottom and both the faces are joined in the middle. The bigger one comes with the dimension of 1-12” in length and 8” in diameter, which is covered with the cow’s skin and it is about 8-10 inches in length and 6 in diameter for the smaller one, which is covered with either the cow’s skin or that of a goat. Both heads emanate different sounds.
Each face of the instrument is played in a different way. The bigger one is played with a stick slightly bent at the corner and the smaller instrument is played with a slender bamboo stick. Twigs of Tamarind trees are also used to play the instrument after processing it, which involves soaking the stick in water and drying it on fire. This instrument was once used as an accompaniment to the nagaswaram. During Tiruvarur Ther festival, it is played along with the Bari Nayanam. Appar has mentioned about this instrument in the Thevaram verses and it is said to be one among the 18 instruments that are played in temples.
Kodukotti has various descriptions and stands as a dance form performed by Lord Siva, an instrument or a kind of time measure. Navukkarasar has used the word Kodukotti to denote a percussion instrument when he says Kodukottaha Vantu and denotes a tala when he says Kodukottu Talam Udaiyar.
This instrument plays an important role in folk music and its related art forms such as Poi Kal Kudhirai dance, where this is played along with Urmi, another ancient instrument and by the tribal fortune teller (Boom Boom Mattukaaran). There are evidences that talk about the use of this instrument during one of the rituals performed in Villupuram.
Now playing this instrument in temples is fast disappearing so are the various art forms associated with this instrument. Efforts need to be taken to save this ancient art form from sinking into oblivion.
(The writers are eminent violinists)
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/predominant-in-folk-art/article8532381.ece

Tiruchinnam

Hear the sound of tiruchinnam

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

This brass instrument is an integral part of temple rituals

We performed at the Kanchi Varadarajar temple for the Brahmotsavam and at the end of our concert, arrangements were made for the Lord’s procession. We were awestruck by the beauty of the Lord and also got attracted by the sound of a wind instrument — the tiruchinnam, made in brass which is special at this temple.
Considered as a mangala vadyam, tiruchinnam is normally played at Vishnu temples in the beginning and during a procession. It is also played on occasions such as the mangala arati, to welcome the mutt heads, during purnahuthi at the time of the Kudamuzhuku and during the temple car festival.
Usually two tiruchinnams are joined by a chord and blown together. Also known as tiruchooranam and tiruseeranam, this instrument has a long pipe with just one hole to blow and a conical bore in the end. To know more about this rare instrument we made a special trip to Kanchi Varadarajar temple, where we witnessed the tirumanjanam being performed for the Lord to the accompaniment of tiruchinnam followed by the udal and the talam. We also noticed that only one tiruchinnam is played and not two as is done in other temples.
The legend has it that Vedanta Desikar, who used to attend utsavams at the Kanchi Varadarajar temple was enamoured by the sound of this instrument, which is used to announce the start of Lord Varadaraja’s procession. Lord Varadarajar gave one tiruchinnam to Vedanta Desikar as a reward for his services rendered for the propagation of Vaishnavism and from then on only one tiruchinnam is used at this temple during rituals and utsavams.
An overwhelmed Vedanta Desikar composed the Tiruchinnamalai, a Tamil Prabhandam, thanking the Lord. A mix of poetry and philosophy with 11 paasurams including the phala stuti slokam of eight lines in each of the verses, Tiruchinnamalai is set in the Tamil meter known as the Yenn Seer Asiriya Virutham.
Inscriptions at the Nellaiappar and Kanthimati Amman shrine in Tirunelveli mention about the donations given to two musicians — one playing the tharai and the other the tiruchinnam.
In Avudayar Koil, there was a practice not to allow any instrument inside the temple except the tiruchinnam. At the Adikesava Perumal temple in Sriperumbudur, tiruchinnam is played after the performance of Srinivasa Tirukalyanam.
Tiruchinnam is also heard at Siva temples along with the udal and talam. At the Tiruvarur Tyagaraja Temple there was a custom to play just one tiruchinnam, occasionally played now by the Sivagana group.
According to the Agamas, the Tiruchinnam should be used during the commencement of the procession at Perumal temples and during the mangala arati. At the Srirangam temple, this instrument is heard, along with the bigger variety of the ekkalam, during Vaikunta Ekadesi. It is also played at the Kanchi Kamakshi Temple, when the mutt heads are given the temple honours. is also played when the mutt heads/adheenams/sannidhanams leave for their puja. And it is still heard at the Tiruvavaduthurai Adeenam.
References say that this instrument along with udal, ekkalam, brahmatalam and sangu are some of the favourites of Lord Siva that came to the earth due to the efforts of Muchukunda Chakravarthy.
Tiruchinnam like the other instruments such as ekkalam, ganjira, poosari kai silambu, davandai, udukkai and thambattam is played in villages.The tiruchinnam artists stay close to the Sundara Perumal Temple near Thanjavur and in villages near Tiruchirapalli. When the soorasamharam takes place at the Swamimalai Temple, thiruchinnam, ekkalam and tharai are played by the villagers during the procession to the temple.
There are many records and inscriptions that speak highly of this ancient instrument. Some temples still have the tiruchinnam . It would be nice to revive its playing and preserve its sound for posterity.
(The writers are senior classical violinists)
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/hear-the-sound-of-tiruchinnam/article8393257.ece

Pulluvan Vina

Songs for the snake god

Dr M Lalitha and M Nandini

For Sarpam pattu, the veena is used as a sruti and tala accompaniment. It is held like the violin and sometimes tucked to the ankle of the right foot.

“During a trip to Palghat, our guru, Sri Tirumeni, took us to a temple where we got to hear Pulluvan pattu, a traditional song sung by the Pullavar community to worship the Snake God.
Pulluvan Pattu is also known by other terms such as Sarpa Pattu, Sarpam Thullal, Nagam Pattu, Sarpolsavam, Pambum Thullal or Pambum Kalam.
Most art forms of the Pulluvar community are ritualistic in nature, though songs are based on the Puranas and agriculture.
Pulluvan Pattu is accompanied by different musical instruments made by the community - the one stringed violin known as the Pulluvan veena, the Pulluvan kudam, an earthen pot with a string fastened to it, Pulluvan mizhavu and cymbals. Out of these, the Pulluvan veena plays a major part during the rituals.
The veena is made out of a hollow bamboo stick, teak, coconut shell or wood and is played with a bow made out of a piece of sharpened bamboo. This one-stringed instrument, that resembles the violin, is also known as the veenakkunju. The string is made from the Nagachitamrada plant and is known as the Theru. The string is stretched over the round shaped resonator with a calf’s skin and passes through a small bridge. The other end is connected to the wooden stem having the peg. At the end of the bow, a couple of metal jingles are attached at times and wooden rods are fastened to these metal jingles.
The pulluvan and his team will play the veena, kudam and sometimes the cymbals, during a performance. Valluvanad in Kerala is still popular for Pulluvan pattu. Normally this form of song is accompanied by the veena on occasions where there is a Nagaraja pradistai being done at a temple and where the inmates of the house offer the Pullavan food and clothes.

Some musical phrases are played on the Pulluvan veena before a song begins and also during interludes. For Sarpam pattu, the veena is used as a sruti and tala accompaniment. It is held like the violin and sometimes tucked to the ankle of the right foot.
During rituals, the songs of the Pulluva community praise ‘holy serpents’ such as Ananthan, Manimudgaran, Adiseshan and Mahapadman.
For snake worship, usually a snake is drawn on the ground after a purification ritual and necessary pujas.
This ritual is known as Pambin Kalam where snakes are invoked by the Pulluva community; it is generally an elaborate one. The pullavars fast for 41 days to perform a Sarpam Pattu ritual.
Sadly, the community which worships snake is dwindling, and the song and instruments too are on the wane. Wonder if something can be done to preserve such rare songs and instruments…
(The writers are classical violinists and researchers.)

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/associated-with-snake-worship/article7846097.ece#!

Davandai

This works like a thavil

Dr. M. Lalitha

M. Nandini

Davandai is among the 18 most important instruments which are used during temple utsavams.

(A monthly column on India's ancient instruments.)
“The spotlight this time is on Davandai. We recently visited the Madurai Meenakshi temple. Here we got to witness the ‘Uchi Kala’ puja performed to the accompaniment of a rare percussion instrument called davandai. During the puja, this instrument is played along with the nagaswaram, instead of the thavil.
This is a two-faced hour-glass drum resembling ‘udukkai’ but slightly bigger. Both its faces are covered with thick goat’s skin and the ends are sealed with parchment stretched with cords. Though it is a two-faced instrument, only one side is played with a stick. It is fastened with a rope that runs from the faces to the body and fixed on to the small openings found on the other side. Different sounds emanate when the cords in the middle are tightened.
The instrument is played on occasions when the thavil is not allowed inside the temple. It is said to be a favourite of Lord Nataraja. In the Puranas, it is mentioned that when Lord Nataraja danced, Lord Brahma played the cymbals and Vishnu created this instrument from his spine and played it with the aralikuchi that resembled the backbone, slightly bent. Hence, the instrument is associated with Lord Vishnu. Many Vishnu temples use davandai in the daily rituals.
The instrument can be heard at the Sangameswarar temple in Bhavani, Sri Rajagopalaswamy temple, Mannargudi, and the Chakrapani and Kumbeswaran temples in Kumbakonam.
The davandai accompanies the nagaswaram till the end of the thaila kappu sevai.It is also played when the bali saadam is offered to the astabalakas. And it works solo at times. On occasions such as Trikala sandhi, Uchikalam, Sayaratcahi and the pujas at night, the davandai sounds can be heard for quite a distance. According to Ganesan, a davandai player at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, who hails from a musical family, the instrument is played not only on special occasions such as Adi festival and Avani Moolam utsavam, but also during nadai thirappu and other regular pujas.
During Navaratri, the instrument is played when the kappu is worn by the Bhattar as he performs the Ambal puja, known as Alavattam. The sculpture at the Nandi Mandapam at the Meenakshi temple where Lord Siva is portrayed in 25 forms, one can identify a davandai. It is believed that Vishnu plays the instrument while Siva dances.
There is another sculpture of a davandai opposite the golden flag post near the Urdhva Thandavar shrine.
Interestingly, at the Madurai temple, a separate post has been created for the davandai performers during rituals. At the Azhagar temple, nagaswaram artists play the davandai.
The davandai is usually made from jackfruit wood but for the Srirangam and Madurai Meenakshi temples, bronze is used.
In the Sarangapani temple, Kumbakonam, the davandai is known as ‘echarikai’ and is used to announce the procession of the deity.
In Srirangam, this instrument is known as ‘Veeravandi.’ It is considered one of the 18 most important instruments used for temple rituals. It is played at Siva and Vishnu temples during the processions of Sulapani and Selvar who oversee the offering of rice at the Bali Peetam for the temple guards.
At Sri Parthasarathy temple, Triplicane, Chennai, there is a similar instrument which is known as dakki and is played a little differently.
So how does one learn to play the davandai? In ancient times, artists would be in touch with thavil vidwans and observe them, and pick up the nuances. Sometimes, even the nagaswaram artists would teach the art.
But there are hardly any takers now. Such an ancient instrument needs to be preserved and special courses need to be introduced so that the art is kept alive for generations to come.”
(The writers are classical violinists and researchers.)

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/this-works-like-the-thavil/article7711808.ece#!

SURYA PIRAI AND CHANDRA PIRAI

Resonance Music

Drums that have fallen silent

M. Lalitha and M. Nandini

Surya and Chandra pirais were part of rituals at the Kanchi Varadar temple

Our research for this column took us to the temples in and around Kanchipuram, where several musical instruments are played during various rituals. At the Kanchi Varadar temple, for instance, we found that Srinivasan plays the instrument Udal there. He has also been associated with the temple for many years, and talked about a pair of drums called Surya Pirai and Chandra Pirai. These drums used to be played during the procession at the Varadar Temple along with other instruments.
Surya Pirai and the Chandra Pirai come under the category of membranophones or avanaddha vadyas and are the simplest forms of frame drums found mainly in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. A thin parchment stretched over an iron ring with a handle makes up the instrument. The sticks are made from Kuruvi Kombu. The surya pirai, also called suryamandalam, is about 25 cm diameter and represents the sun, while the chandra pirai (chandra mandalam) has a crescent shape. The surya pirai is played in the morning and the Chandra pirai in the evening. These drums are tied to the forehead of the performer by a frame.
These skilled performers have known to accompany nagaswaram artistes during processions.
But all this has become a thing of the past. “It has been more than 35 years since the sound of surya vadyam reverberated through the Kanchi Varadar temple. Thenambakkam Muthu used to play the pirai, but it stopped after his demise.

The pirais were performed during Purappadu and Brahmotsavam at the Kanchi Varadar temple. During the latter event, the surya pirais, which were a part of the nagaswaram-thavil ensemble, accompanied the deity’s procession from the temple’s vahana mandapam up to the Anjaneyar temple in Sannadi Theru. This ritual took place twice daily for 10 days. The pirais fell silent when the deity went from Sannadi Theru to Kachapeswarar temple, and playing was resumed there and continued up to the Gangaikondan Mandapam.
The pirais were also a part of the Pancha Paruva Purappadu, where they were played for five days, every month (the Madhapirappu, Nakshatram —Sravanam, Ekadasi, Amavasya and Pournami ), and also during Thayar purappadu. Now these instruments are rarely heard at the Kanchi Varadar temple. The drums, which were a part of the temple culture, need trained artistes to keep the beats alive.
The writers are well-known Carnatic musicians

http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/music-at-kanchi-varadar-temple/article18577021.ece#!

TUTTI

Resonance Music

The divine drone

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

Tutti, the bagpipe, has become obsolete

This time the destination was the Big Temple in Thanjavur. We were in time for the conclusion of the annual festival and listened to the Velli Nayanam being played.
Enquiring about the various musical instruments of the temple, we came to know about the tutti/titti, a bagpipe that produced a single drone note and was once performed at the temple, according to dance teacher and mridangam vidwan Herambhanathan.
Instruments are categorised into Tata vadyas, Sushira vadyas, Avanaddha vadyas and Ghana vadyas. Tutti comes under Sushira Vadyas (wind instruments). Sruti upanga and tutti are Bagpipes and belong to the Sruti Vadyas as they provide a drone accompaniment, that is, drones of the blown variety — such as ottu and ottu sanku.
Sruti upanga was played in Tamil Nadu, while tutti was mainly performed in Kerala and Andra Pradesh.
Tutti was once played as part of the chinna melam ensemble at the Big Temple.
It had a long pipe, made from the wood of Aacha maram, and had a bag fixed at the end. It was controlled by the breath of the performer.
During Thiruvadirai in Margazhi, Natarajar purappadu takes place. Here till the Nadavaana Pandal, Periya Melam accompanied the procession, after which chinna melam took over. Today there is no one to play the tutti and it has become obsolete. The tutti performer was called Tuttikarar.
Tutti was an accompaniment for Katha singers, along with a drum and a crescent-shaped brass horn known as the Kommu. It was also played during the village’s dance dramas.

The tutti had two pipes, one long and the other short, attached to a large bag. Air was blown into the bag through the short pipe until it bloated. Then the end pipe was opened and the bag pressed slowly. The air thus released would come out through the longer cane pipe, and the reed attached to it would vibrate, producing the drone.

Closed with wax

The holes in the pipe were wholly or partially closed with wax so that the instrument could be tuned to the desired pitch. The vibrations were also controlled by a piece of wire or fine twine tied to the tongue. Black wax was used to make the tutti air-tight.
It is learnt that Bagpipes first originated from ancient Egypt. In Kerala, there are quite a number of paintings from the 18th century probably illustrating bagpipes. Tutti was a part of the orchestra for Mohiniyattom and other small stage ensembles.
It was played at the Adikesavaperumal temple, Tiruvattar, and was a part of the orchestra for the temple dancers at the Tripunithura temple.
There is a similar instrument known as mashak that is performed in Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Pakistan and in Afganistan.Also known as Masak, mishek, moshug, Moshaq, Moshuq, mushak baja, Meshek, mashak bin and bin baji, this instrument is associated with weddings and festive occasions.
There are bagpipes that belong to different global music traditions including the Scottish great highland bagpipe, Estonian tourpill, Northumbrian smallpipes, Bulgarian kaba gaida, the Hungarian duda, German huemmelchen, Italian zampogna, Irish uilleann pipes, Swedish sackpipa and Turkish tulum.
The writers are well-known Carnatic musicians
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/tracing-the-tune-of-tutti/article19055134.ece

The Bell

Rhythm of the ring

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

The bell’s role in auspicious events globally, has made it an integral part of cultures.

Performing at SH Assisi in Italy was exciting, and we were the first Carnatic musicians to do so. This opportunity became our doorway to new sights and sounds.
In Rome, we stayed near a church and the ringing of its bell at regular intervals intrigued us. Gionato, a friend, said that church bells were rung for various reasons. They indicated time, signalled the start of service and were rung during the processions of Candlemas and Palm Sunday. They were rung in a certain rhythm, half an hour before Sunday Mass to alert people and also at the end of it.
In India, no temple can do without bells. Its sound is linked with auspicious moments. Called ‘ghanta’ in Sanskrit or ‘mani’ in Tamil, it comes in varied sizes and are known as kothu mani, kovil mani, pujai mani, sara mani and kai mani. Its rich nadham (sound) is important as it should be audible to alert the devotees about pujas. Like the church bell, the different rhythms of ringing in temples also announce the diverse rituals taking place. For example, bells are rung fast during the deeparadanai.
The bells are rung by pulling the ropes in temples such as Chidambaram Natarajar and Sri Mahaperiyava Manimandapam at Orikkai.
In a Vaishnavite temple, the bells inside the sannidhi are rung only after the special worship and undergo a purification process during pavitrotsavam.
There is a method to the ringing. It is swung in one direction. While the kai mani is hit with a rod to get the sound, during the neivedhyam, the pujai mani is rung with the thandu (stem). In Siva temples, the top of the thandu is adorned with the figure of Lord Nandikeswarar and in Vishnu temples, it is sangu or chakram.
Persons bringing the neivedyam to the prakaram usually play the bells, which are smaller in size.
It is said that in the Tirumala temple no bells are used in the garbha griha since they are considered an avatar of Sri Vedanta Desikar.
References to the ‘mani’ are seen in the Tirumurais, which indicate their importance in rituals.
In Shinto (ethnic religion of Japan) and Buddhism also bells are used in religious ceremonies. Bells in Buddhist temples of Japan are called bonsho. They are struck from the outside, using either a handheld mallet or a beam suspended on ropes and are used to call the monks to prayer and to mark the cycle of time. The bonsho was also used in a modern composition, ‘Olympic Campanology,’ for the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964.
In a ceremony known as Joya no Kane, people queue up to ring the temple bells 108 times, which is done as part of the Japanese New Year celebrations. In Shinto shrines, large Suzu bells adorn the entrances, as it is said that ringing them brings positive energy and light, which is similar to the Hindu tradition.
Bells have been traced to the Yangshao culture of Neolithic China dating from 3rd millennium BC, and they are also found in different religious and musical cultures of the world.
Bells used in a Catholic Church for the Latin Rite as a mark of thanksgiving, are also referred to as altar or sanctus bell, mass bell, saint’s bell, sacryn bell, and sance-bell. Altar or sanctus bells are small handheld sets of bells.
Church bells are rung three times a day, 6 a.m., 12 noon and 6 p.m., by trained bell ringers. But in many places today they are being replaced by an automated equipment. There are techniques to ringing the bells. These skills were passed down the generations. But today, this art is almost lost.
As a musical instrument, hand held bells are used in bell choirs for church services. Their diverse ringing forms numerous rhythms. Bells belong to the category of idiophones, which are a part of the percussion instruments.
The temple bells, made from a combination of different metals, are believed to produce sounds that aid physical and mental wellness. Their echoes are believed to touch the seven healing centres of the body and generate a sense of positivity. That is why bells have been used in temples for centuries.
(The writers are eminent Carnatic violinists)
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/Rhythm-of-the-ring/article14397080.ece

The UDAL

Its beat heralds a procession

Dr. M. LalithaDr. M. Nandini

Udal during the Neivedyam procession, at Sri Ekambaranathar temple, Kanchipuram. Photo: Special Arrangement

Dr. M. LalithaDr. M. Nandini

The Udal resembles a thavil but differs in size, the playing method and rhythmic patterns.

(This column will focus on ancient instruments, their origins and myths.)
Upon invitation from Sri Sachchidananda Tirtha of the Sri Chakra Maha Meru Peetam of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, who was camping at Tiruvaanaika, Tiruchi, we performed at Sri Akhilandeswari temple, one of the Pancha bhoota sthalams that represents the water element as ‘Appu Lingam.’ During the abishekam and the uchi kala puja (special here as the priests dress up themselves in a sari and perform the puja), we heard the beautiful strains of the nagaswaram accompanied by rhythms from a barrel-shaped instrument smaller than the thavil. The instrument was so fascinating that we began to research it. And soon we learnt that it is known as the ‘Udal and occupies an important place in temple rituals. One can hear it at the following shrines in Kanchipuram - Sri Kamakshi Amman, Sri Ekambaranathar, Ulagalanda Perumal and Sri Varadarajar apart from those in Madurai, Tiruvanaika, Srirangam, Woraiyur Nachiyar temple, Tiruvidaimarudhur, Chidambaram, and at the Murugan temple in Kumarakkottam. The udal comes under the category of Avanaddha vadyas/membranophones/percussion instruments, and has a strong resemblance to thavil but is a little smaller than the latter. Having two faces covered with two layers of goat’s skin, the percussion instrument is made from the wood of the jackfruit tree. The right side or ‘valam thalai’ is slightly larger than the left side or ‘thoppi’ the ‘edam thalai.’
The Udal is made mostly in Sirkazhi and Tiruvaiyaru. Unlike the thavil, where the stick is used on one side and the hand on the other, the udal is played by either using the hands or sticks known as ‘kuruvikombu kuchi’ (now replaced by plastic) found in the forest of Tiruvannamalai. Some performers play with chavuku (casuarina) or arali sticks too.
The udal, which is hung on the left shoulder, has simple rhythmic patterns. It is said that this instrument is the later version of the tudi used by the Kurinji people belonging to one of the five thinais or landscapes, the others being mullai, marutham, neidal and paalai.
Research says that this instrument, along with ekkalam, brahmatalam, sangu and tiruchinnam, is among the favourites of Lord Siva. In order to please Lord Siva, the bhuta ganas played the udal.
At the Kamakshi Amman and Varadarajar temples, Kanchipuram, only one face is played according to niyati or tradition whereas in the Siva temples, both the faces are played.
Along with kombu, ekkaalam, thappu and thaarai, the udal was played prior to the commencement of a temple procession. This is still practised in Tiruvannamalai where 11 udals are used to announce the procession of the deity.
According to Ganesan, a Davandai player from Madurai, Meenakshi Amman temple , the udal is also known as sutru thavil and played only as talam, during pujas and purappadu along with the nagaswaram and thavil. The udal is also played during the fifth day Tiruvizha, known as the Theruvadaithan, in Chidambaram, during ‘Thiruveedi ula’ of Lord Bikshadanar, and during Vasthu Shanti when this instrument is played around the four veedhis.
According to Kartigeyan, the thavil player at the Ekambareswarar temple, the instrument is used mainly for swami purappadu. It is only after playing the udal in the morning that the temple opens. In Agamas, it is mentioned that udal should be played at temples. While some temples follow the tradition, others have it just as a show piece.
Udal is also played while offering neivedyam for the deities. The rhythmic patterns played on the udal indicate whether it is for neivedyam or purappadu.
At the Srirangam Ranganathar temple, the udal is considered important. There are three different types – periya udal played during thaligai, tirumanjanam and when the Lord comes out in a procession; tirumanjana udal, a bit small and the nadam, softer, played while bringing the tirtham and chinna udal, played while taking tirtham from the river. This is played in the morning for the Viswarupa Darisanam of Lord Ranganathar followed by the fifth tirtham.
The technique of playing the instrument has been handed down for generations. Some of the artists say they started playing by just listening to their elders. Sadly, there are only a few practitioners of the udal left today. Hope the hoary tradition is preserved, or it will be forgotten forever.
(The writers are classical violinists and researchers.)

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/its-playing-involves-different-styles/article7611422.ece

Tuesday 27 June 2017

Beri Maddhalam

Resonance Music

Sound of festivity

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

Beri maddhalam | Photo Credit: M_SRINATH

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

A ritual precedes the playing of Beri Maddhalam at the Srirangam temple

Srirangam is a treasure house for various instruments that are used in the different rituals. Around 18 instruments are being used for various rituals and Beri Maddhalam is one of them.
The Beri Maddhalam is an instrument that is seen and used only at the Sri Ranganathar Temple in Srirangam. It belongs to the category of the Avanaddha Vadhyas or Membranophones. It is made from the jackfruit tree, the two sides of the instrument covered with goat’s skin. The circumference of both the heads are the same unlike as the mridangam, where one side is small and the other head is slightly bigger. Straps are attached connecting both the faces.
Beri Maddhalam is played with a one-foot long stick, made from Aralikuchi. The player, in a standing posture, wields the stick with one hand only on one face of the instrument, which is strapped on his shoulder. The body of beri maddhalam is slightly longer than the mridangam and has a shorter circumference than Suddha Maddhalam.
According to Srirangam Sri Ranjit Kumar, Beri maddhalam is used only for 27 days in a year, at the Srirangam temple when Brahmotsavam take place. This is played during 9 days in the Tamil months of Thai, Panguni, Chitirai thus making it to 27 during the Brahmotsavam.

During the festival, before Lord Aranganathar is taken out in procession, Bali Sadam is placed for the devathas in all the directions. Before this takes place, about five measures of paddy is poured in front of Lord Namperulal. On top of this, the Beri Maddhalam is kept and prayers are offered. Food offering is pongal prepared without salt. Then camphor light is offered.
After this ritual, the player wears a sacred thread (kaappu) in the hands and the poonal. He is also adorned with a new towel and a turban. The priests first play the instrument after puja and ritual. Then the performer takes over.
During festival, this instrument is played daily in the morning and evening and restored to its safe place after prayers are done.

http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/Beri-maddhalam-is-played-at-the-Srirangam-temple-during-the-Brahmotsavam./article17393781.ece

Semmakalam

Resonance Music

Striking a significant note

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

Semmakalam, the gong at temples

Dr. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI

The humble gong, is part of the culture of several countries

Kanchi is our favourite destination, where we visit Maha Periyava’s Brindavan frequently and also the Kamakshi Amman Temple. At the Kanchi Math, during the Chandramouliswara and Tripurasundari puja we heard the sound of a gong. A spherical object hung on the wall produced the resonant sound when struck with a stick. Enquiries revealed that it was the semakkalam.
This instrument is special and accompanies the Math’s heads, wherever they go. It is mandatory to play the instrument every yaamam, which is written on a piece of paper and placed close to the gong. The pattern is something like this — at 8 a.m. it is struck eight times; after a pause, it is struck again to show that it is the first yaamam.

Made of bronze

Semakkalam, categorised under Struck Idiophones, is made of venkalam — bronze. The player holds the cord attached to the semakalam with the left hand and uses a stick to strike it with the right. (Sometimes, instead of holding it, the instrument is hung on the wall) The stick is of calotropis plant. This instrument is known as Soman Kalam or Somangalam since the round shape resembles Soman — the other name for Chandran or the Moon.
During the nights of the Dhanur or Margazhi month, to ward off evil, the Thootiyampatti Naicker community (known as the Dasars in Tamil Nadu) would visit different houses, singing Pasurams and songs about gods to the accompaniment of the semakkalam, conch and thappattai.
The conch represents Vishnu and, according to a saying, the semakkalam, Siva. It is an important part of the Dasar Attam performed by the Dasar community in Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and in some Mariamman festivals still.

At the Srirangam temple, the semangalam (another name for semakkalam) is played whenever veeravandi is played. Though it is used mostly at Vaishnavite shrines, semakkalam is also heard at the Siva temples during processions.
There is a similar instrument known as the Semantron that is used to announce the services in the Greek monasteries. Semantron was introduced in Russia at the end of the 10th century and was known as Bilo.Gongs are similar to the semakkalam, and are apart of Chinese, Indonesian and Malay cultures.
In Buddhism, the gong is also important and is sounded first, followed by the drum in the morning and vice versa in the evening. It is used to announce waking and bed time for the monks.
The writers are well-known Carnatic musicians.

http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/the-sound-of-semmakalam/article18253233.ece#!

Ravanhatta

(This new column will focus on ancient instruments, their origins and myths.)

Panchamukha vadhyam

M. Lalitha M. Nandini

As an introduction, violinist-researcher Dr. M. Lalitha writes:
I was selected for the Ministry of Culture, New Delhi,’s award under the Production Grant. Being an instrumentalist, I wanted to focus on divine musical instruments as suggested by my guide, Nandini Ramani. Along with my sister, M. Nandini, I began working on this project. The highlight was a comparative study of similar instruments all over the globe and how they are all connected with divinity, rituals and deities.
We worked on the history and evolution of an instrument, mythological, sculptural evidences, its usage in temple rituals, similarities in global musical cultures, and took references from literature, from both Sanskrit and Tamil, such as the Vedas, Natyasastra, Periyapuranam and Silappadigaram.
Nandini and I hail from a family of musicians. Our grandfather V. Lakshminarayana Iyer was an accomplished musician-composer and our uncles, L. Vaidyanathan, L. Subramanian and L. Shenkar are names to reckon with in the violin world. We have been awarded with several National and International Fellowships including the prestigious Fulbright Fellowships in Performing Arts - USA, Fulbright Nehru lecture Fellowship -USA, The Occasional Lecture Fund Award -USA, Charles Wallace Trust Fellowship – UK and were selected as Cultural Ambassadors to the U.S. and the U.K. respectively.
We begin with Ravanhatha, a two stringed fiddle.
THE RAVANHATHA
We were in Jodhpur for a concert where we managed to shop for traditional Meenakari jhumkas and colourful dhurries. A visit to the Umaid Bhavan palace was a peep into the past and took us back to the old world of kings and kingdoms.
We also visited the Mehrangarh Fort, regarded as one of the largest forts in India. The museum there houses a huge collection of royal exhibits including palanquins, watches, silver swords studded with precious stones such as emeralds and rubies. The exhibits included the swords of Akbar the Great, the royal outfits worn by the monarchs of Marwar and distinct Marwar paintings.
As we took the lift to go to the different floors, we were captivated by the gentle strains of music which created an aura of the past in the old fort. The instrument being played was a stringed–bowed instrument that resembled the primitive coconut-shell violin. On speaking to one of them, we learnt that this instrument was the Ravanhatha, a two stringed fiddle popular in both Western India and Sri Lanka.
We also learnt that it is made of coconut shell and covered with a goat’s hide. There is a fingerboard made of bamboo attached to the shell where two main strings made of steel and horsehair are seen passing through a small bridge. The string made up of horse hair is used to play the melody while the metal string is used as a drone. There are two huge pegs to which these two strings are attached. Apart from these two strings, there are more than 8-12 sympathetic strings attached to the small pegs. The bow is a bit concave and has jingle bells fitted that provide rhythmic accompaniment.
This bowed, stringed instrument also known as Ravanhatta, Ravanahastha and Ravanastron, is said to have originated during the time of Ravana, the mighty king of Lanka. According to mythology, Ravana was an ardent devotee of Lord Siva. He played on the Ravanhatta as a musical offering to the Lord. It is believed that at the end of the war between Lord Rama and Ravana, Hanuman took the Ravanhatha to North India.
Ravanhatha is said to be the precursor to the violin. The beautiful strains of Ravanhatha can be heard in Rajasthan in their lilting folk music. It is said that the royals of Rajasthan and Gujarat popularised this instrument where this became the first musical instrument to be taught to the princes of royal families as well as among the women.
It is a main accompanying instrument used by the Bhopas, the priest singers of the folk deities in Rajasthan. They sing of the tales of the folk deity, Pabuji, who lived in Rajasthan during the 14th century. The Bhopas belong to the Nayak community and usually depict the tale of Pabuji in front of the Phad/ Par which is a painted canvas about 15-30 ft. long and 4-5 ft. deep where paintings depict the life of Pabuji.
The Phads or Pars are painted by citero or professional painters. These Phads or paintings are drawn on a cotton cloth and treated with utmost reverence by the Bhopas. The epic of Pabuji is sung by both the Bhopa and the Bhopi – the wife of the Bhopa who holds a lamp near the Phad as the narration is in progress. The Phad is practically a movable temple and the story is only narrated in the night. The singing is interspersed with dancing too. The epic of Pabuji has about 4,000 lines and its performance lasts for full five nights of eight hours duration from dusk to dawn.
The melodic strains of the Ravanhatha still fill the desert State with vibrancy.

http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/ancient-instruments-their-origins-and-myths/article7507406.ece#!