Kudukka Vina

RESONANCE HISTORY & CULTURE

Under the spotlight

M LALITHA AND NANDINI

AUGUST 24, 2017 16:48 IST

UPDATED: AUGUST 24, 2017 16:50 IST

Kudukka veena, originally played only in temples, has shifted to the concert stage

We had just finished performance at PN Sivaramakrishnan Sri Tirumeni Guruji’s 400-year-old Siva temple in Chippleri near Punjapadam, Palakkad. Then it was our turn to listen to an instrument, a rare on at that.

Made from two coconut shells and played with a stick, its sound and appearance were unique. The single-stringed Kudukka veena is an ancient instrument of Kerala.

Half a coconut shell, which is the resonator, is placed on the left shoulder and kept in position by a cloth belt called kacha. The shell is covered by fine leather at the centre of which is a small hole. At the lower end is the full shell (kudukka). A wooden rod, called the korada/perada, passes diametrically through the eye of the kudukka and a string is attached to it. This is tied onto the Korada which is inserted through the hole in the leather. Sometimes both shells are painted and decorated.

String matters

Regarding the strings, sometimes those of the Vina Tala Kambi or guitar are used. According to Thrikkampuram Sri Jayandevan Marar, son of the late Thrikkampuram Krishnankutty Marar, kudukka veena is more than 300 years old.

This instrument is played by strumming the string using the eerkkili, which is the thin rod from the coconut palm leaf. Sometimes the thin stem of a peacock feather is is also used.

The different notes are produced by adjusting the tension of the string. The tension is varied through pressure on the lower shell.

It is a difficult instrument to play, and requires practice. Notes cannot be sustained on it for long. One practises this instrument before learning to play the edakka. Like the ‘pulimutti’ for chenda and ‘sravanappalaka’ for maddalam, kudukka veena is basically a simulator of edakka.

Rakesh Kammath, who plays the kudukka veena, says, “This instrument used to accompany sopana singing during pujas in temples.” Sopana Sangeetham is sung, traditionally by men belonging to the Ambalavasi community, by the side of the holy steps (sopanam) leading to the sanctum sanctorum of a shrine. It is generally performed when the neivedyam is offered to the deity.

The last master

Apparently, the kudukka veena was later replaced by the edakka. Both the instruments can produce melody/swarams along with rhythm/talam.

The legendary Thrikkampuram Krishnankutty Marar was one of the last masters of this instrument, and some of his disciples play this instrument.

Jayandevan Marar said, “It was my father who brought this instrument back to the forefront.” His predecessors, who could play on this rare instrument were Vadakkedath Appu Marar (Krishnankutty Marar’s guru) and Thazhathedath Govinda Marar. By presenting kudukka veena recitals, accompanied by violin and mridangam, during the 1990s, he introduced this instrument to the concert stage. Sometimes the edakka is added as an accompaniment. Currently, some artistes use a pickup to amplify its sound.

Kudukka veena is no longer used in temples but is played at performances and social events. Some of its performers include Uramana Rajan Marar, Kavil Sundaram Marar, Rakesh Kammath, Kottaram Sangeet Marar and Kavil Unnikrishnan.

Writers honoured

Violinists M. Lalitha and M. Nandini were honoured recently with the Chennai Awards for 2017 by the Chennai 2000 Plus Trust in association with the Department of Museum and Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu. The award was presented in recognition of their services to the cause of Carnatic music.

The writers are well-known Carnatic musicians.

http://www.thehindu.com/society/history-and-culture/how-a-temple-musical-instrument-has-moved-to-concert-stage/article19552989.ece

News Today 24th Aug 2017

https://www.newstodaynet.com/index.php/2017/08/24/plea-to-save-rare-temple-musical-instruments/

Plea to save rare temple musical instruments

 NT Bureau  August 24, 2017  0

Chennai: What kept ringing in one’s ears after a lecture by violin duo M Lalitha and M Nandini as part of the Chennai Maadham Festival organised by the Chennai 2000 Plus Trust here on Wednesday was their plaintive cry to save rare musical instruments used in temples.

The siblings, well-known violinists in music circles, had been granted a project by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, to do research on rare and vanishing instruments. Though that was just a year’s project, once they started on the mission, they could not put the brakes on their enthusiasm.

“We started out on the government project but later found that there was so much more to do. So, we are continuing the research out of our own passion. Now, every time we visit a temple, instead of heading for the sanctum sanctorum our eyes seek out the musical instrument player to get some information about the instrument and its history,” laughs Lalitha.

The audio-visual PowerPoint presentation at Tamil Valagam brought to light the importance of music in temple worship. “In fact, the rituals in a temple are believed to be incomplete without the accompaniment of a musical instrument,” explains Nandini.

They dealt with four kinds of instruments – stringed, wind, percussion and ones that are metallic and need to be struck – like the cymbals.
There were interesting names like Ekkalam, Bari Mani, Kidikatti, Makudam, Gettuvadhyam, Davandai, Brahma Talam, Damaram, Danga, Nagar, Tutti, Tiruchinnam and many more.

According to the sisters, they found during their research that covered almost 250 temple instruments, it is possible to save some instruments as they are still played during rituals. In other temples they are there but there is no one to play them as the skill has not been passed on to the next generation. In some other temples, there are no instruments and the ones that are available have to be repaired. The sad part is nobody knows how to do it.

The researchers also found private trusts taking an interest to preserve some instruments, as in the case of Srirangam where a business family ensures that all the rare instruments are played regularly during rituals.

Their plea is for the government to take steps to save the surviving instruments and ensure they are taken to the coming generations.

PLAY IT ON

Some of the rare instruments mentioned by Lalitha and Nandini make for interesting read: Ekkalam: Wind instrument. Though made of copper, Srirangam temple has twin Ekkalams made of silver. It is still played in Thanjavur Big Temple. Bari Mani: Two bells attached to two ends of a pole. The walking rhythm of the person carrying it, creates the musical sound. Tutti: Tamilnadu’s answer to the bagpipe. But there is none to play it now. Thudumbu: A percussion instrument peculiar to the Coimbatore belt. Danga: A couple of percussion instruments tied to either side of a horse. This is still played in Kanchi Varadaraja Perumal temple on special occasions.