Before nagaswaram and thavil entered concert halls, they echoed in the corridors of temples and streets of composite Thanjavur, as the Cauvery flowed by. The region’s musical talents prompted musician Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer to describe Thanjavur as a “forest of nagaswaram,” rich and resonant.
Now, two young nagaswaram players — Chinnamanoor A. Vijay Karthikeyan and Idumbavanam V. Prakash Ilayaraja — have launched a project to capture the early tradition of nagaswaram music, performed in some of the original surroundings.
“Titled Ponni Punal (the water of Cauvery), the video and audio recording series has eight items beginning with a mallari, performed when the presiding deity is taken in a procession,” says Mr. Ilayaraja, a nagaswaram teacher at the Government Music School, Villupuram.
Vijay Karthikeyan, a nagaswaram lecturer at the Music Department of Annamalai University and Mr. Ilayaraja come from families of nagaswaram and thavil players. They have been playing together since 2002 when they performed in Sri Lanka.
To keep the entire recording authentic, it has been made in the precincts of the Sarguneswarar temple in Idumbavanam, situated on the southern bank of Cauvery. Listed among 108 Saivaite temples, it has been praised by the poet saint Thirugnanasambandar.
“We have decided to record in Idumbavanam because it is not crowded and provides a serene atmosphere to perform without any disturbance,” says Mr. Ilayaraja.
Idumbavanam K.S. Kannan, Mr. Ilayaraja’s uncle, and Nangoor N.K. Selvaganapathy, a thavil teacher at Annamalai University, have accompanied the artistes on the thavil.
Besides mallari set to thiripuda tala, the CD has the numbers Sriganapathim (Sowrashtram), Akhilandeswari (Dwajavanthi), Ayyemethakadinam (Ragamalika) and Maadumeikum Kanne (Chenjuriti). The main piece is Appan Avatharitha, a keerthana penned by Papanasam Sivan, set to Karaharapriya.
“We are planning to include the Thevaram of Thirugnanasambandar as the first item. The CD will be released by the end of December. It will offer a background that will be a treat to the eyes. It will be followed by another CD,” says Mr. Ilayaraja.
