At a time when vernacular publications on musical instruments of Kerala are few, it is heartening to see a book in English on the same by L.S. Rajagopalan, published by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi. What makes the book, ‘Temple Musical Instruments of Kerala,' unique is that among numerous publications undertaken by the Akademi every year, this is perhaps the first one authored by a Keralite. Although brought out posthumously, two years after Rajagopalan's death, the monograph is an authentic account of the ancient traits of these esoteric instruments.
L.S., as Rajagopalan was fondly called by his admirers, was an acclaimed authority on Kerala art forms of all genres, classical, folk, and ritual. For more than five decades he delved deep into them with single-minded devotion and wrote voluminously. Performers, scholars, and researchers always thronged his residence for guidance and inspiration until his death on September 17, 2008. The Music Academy, Chennai, and Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, were the main institutions that had evinced a deep interest in his contributions. ‘Temple Musical Instruments of Kerala' is a compilation of mostly LS' articles that were published by the Music Academy in its journals between 1967 and 1977. Since each piece is a product of ardent research, a sort of uniformity is evident in their presentation. For the same reason, it is all encompassing.
Mythology and etymology
Invariably, L.S. begins with the description pertaining to their mythological and etymological backdrop. As regards their genesis, references to ancient treatises such as Natyasastra, Chilappathikaram, Sangita Ratnakaram et. al. are replete. Minute details pertaining to their dimensions, construction techniques, communities practicing them, applications, methods of teaching, styles of playing and so on are all elaborately dealt with in eight chapters. The instruments are edakka, elathalam, kurum kuzhal, kombu, chenda, timila, mizhavu, and suddha maddalam. These have been studied under the classification enshrined in Natyasastra – ‘tatam' (chorodophones), ‘avanadham' (membrophones), ‘ghanam' (idiophones), and ‘sushiram' (aerophones). L.S. argues that this classification has been universally accepted.
L.S.' affinity to music is discernible in the chapters on the edakka, kurum kuzhal, and kombu. For the same reason, the way they have been dealt with is comprehensive.
While describing the edakka, much has been said about Sopana Sangeetham of Kerala, Thyanis, the Ashtapathis, and the ragas prescribed for various pujas in temples. Speaking about the scholarship of the Marar community who are traditional practitioners of this instrument, L.S. narrates a story of a Marar at the Mukkola Bhagavathy temple. He explains how the great scholar-poet Uddanda Sastri's incomplete verse was completed by a Marar. Interestingly, Marar's verse echoed the mnemonics of edakka. His suggestion that the edakka would be a fitting accompaniment for a delicate instrument like the veena is worth considering.
L.S. waxes eloquent while dealing with kurum kuzhal, as he traces its origin to Madhukari referred to in the ‘Sangita Ratnakara' of Sarangadeva. Verses from this ancient book have been quoted to establish how it is also the same as the shehnai. But he laments that “these days no two kuzhals will have the same sruti and no two players will be rendering in the same way with the result that it will be a veritable cacophony.”
Admittedly, in Kerala, the instrument has the function of only a tala vadya. His ire about scant concern for insistence on sruti also surfaces in the chapter on elathalam when he says, “Unfortunately this aspect is being neglected. Sometimes, one hears a cacophony of sounds and even cracked cymbals (elathalam) are used whose sound is jarring.”
On percussion ensembles
Another fascinating feature of the book is that it also gives a vibrant picture of the percussion ensembles peculiar to Kerala, as the eight instruments studied are basically used as tala vadyas, notwithstanding their musical potentialities. The explanation of the rustic jargon in connection with the techniques and performance of each instrument vouches for the extensive field work L.S. had assiduously undertaken. This aspect is commendable. The five appendices – Folk Musical Instruments of Kerala, A Brief History of the Tala Vadyas of Kerala, Ona Villu, Bhagavathy Paattu of the Mannans, and The Pulluvans and Their Music – throw much light on the treasure trove of Kerala folklore.
Illuminating is the foreword by Kavalam Narayna Panicker, himself a scholar of Kerala arts. D.K. Printworld, New Delhi has collaborated with Sangeet Natak Akademi in bringing out the publication.
