Periyamelam Traditions
| Origins & History | Temple Traditions | Vidwans |
Origin and History of Nagasvaram
The Nagasvaram is one of the classical instruments of South India. It is a wind instrument made of a hardwood body and a large flaring bell. It is considered to be an auspicious instrument.
Early Origins and Literary Evidence:
In ancient times, the Panars played music to wake the king up and herald the events of the day. One of the chief instruments used for the purpose was 'Ezhil'. The Tiruvachakam says,"Ezhil iyamba iuambum veNsanku enkum'. It is opined by some people that the instrument with seven bores is Ezhil or ezhil in its shortened form. Because of its customary association with day break and good beginnings it became associated with auspiciousness. The origins of the name Nagasvarams is said to be from 'Naga Chinnam'. Several poets of the Sangam era had names ILanAganAr, peTTanAganAr etc. Some scholars believe that this name arose due to the fact that these nagArs handled the instrument and came to be known as nAgachinnam. Chinnam is a word referring to a long wind instrument. Even today, Tirucchinnam is used in temples for ritualistic purposes. It is not a musical instrument but one used to announce the arrival of the King but it is blown and is a wind instrument. Hence it is believed that over a period of time it is considered to have transformed with various names Nagachinnam, Nayanam, Nagasaram and Nagasuram. The term Nadaswaram/Nadhasvaram is of relatively recent origin and does not have any historic credibility. The community named as Isai Vellalas were the upkeepers of the Chinna melam and Periya melam ensembles. The custodians of the Tiruvarur Temple musical heritage were a community named as 'Nayinar Adiyar' (Nayanar > Nayinar). There are others who argue that this instrument is a later entry from various other places in the North and the West. Scholars like Dr.Jairazhbhoy opine that it shares common ancestry with the Shehnai. According to Dr.B.M.Sundaram and Malarvizhi, the instrument referred in the Rg Veda as Uddalaka Venu is perhaps the ancestor of the nagasvaram. Malarvizhi also adds that this instrument is referred to as, the vangiyam in Adiyarukku Nallar’s commentary in the eleventh century to Cilappatikaram (Second century A.D.), and the Peruvangiyam in the Sangam literature and that these are direct predecessors of present-day Nagasvaram.
Inscriptional Evidence:
The Nagasvaram is also referred in the mankhabhidhanam of Mankha , a work written in Kannada. The term Nagasvaram and associated terms appear in literary works from the early 15th century. Nagasura or Nagasara is the common term applied to the instrument and the accompanying drum is referred to as dolu, dola, or dol instead of tavil, indicating the connection to North Indian drums with similar names. A Telugu work, Kridabhirama (1400 AD), seems to be the first historical evidence that includes a reference to the instrument, and it is stated under the term nagasara. There are also many inscriptions that speak of gifts of land or of a village made to the temple to appoint or support Nagasvaram and Tavil musicians. The earliest inscription referring to these instruments is dated in 1496 and is found in Tirumala (Andhra Pradesh). This inscription in Tamil records that an equal amount of money (2 pa?am) was to be paid to the nattuvar (dance master) and muttukkarar (timekeeper), emperumanadiyar(temple dancers), and the players of dola and Nagasara. Another Tamil inscription found inside the Govindarajasvami Temple in Tirupati records the employment of two Nagasaram musicians with the contractual terms of remuneration (36 rekhai-pon per year) . An inscription, dated 1549 and found at the Nilakantha Temple in the village of Nitturu (Andhra Pradesh), reports a gift of lands donated to the temple for the maintenance of service by six dancing girls, Bhavagata chanters and nagasara musicians. A Kannada inscription (dated 1552) at the Vasanta-Mallikarjuna Temple in Devalapura (Bellary district, Karnataka) records the appointment of a Nagasvaram musician (Nagasvaravanu) by the name of Musiya-Ravuta at the temple.
Iconographic Evidence:
Iconographic examples depicting Nagasvaram-type instruments from the Vijayanagar territory are found at the Narayanasvami Temple in Melkote. The sculptural examples of a Nagasvaram-type instrument are the three panels found at the Kanakasabha at the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. At the Tyagarajasvami Temple in Tiruvarur, there are paintings on the ceiling of the Devasraya Mandapam where the exploits of the mythical Chola king Musukunda are depicted in painted scenes. In one scene, the procession is accompanied by a number of musical instruments including those resembling the type of Nagasvaram used in present-day temple rituals in Tiruvarur.
References
1.Periya melam - Yoshitaka Terada
2.Mangala Isai mannargal - Dr.B.M.Sundaram
3.The doublereed aerophone in India - Articles by Dr.B.C.Deva, Dr.Jairazbhoy
Tiruvarur and other Temple Traditions
At the Tyagaraja temple in tiruvarur, it is said that hereditary musicians have served the temple since the Chola period (850–1278). According to oral traditions of these families, the Nagasvaram was bestowed by Siva from Kailasha at the request of a mythical Chola emperor, Mucukunda, when Siva manifested himself as Tyagaraja. The musicians in Tiruvarur assert that when the rain was successfully induced by the performance of Nagasvaram musicians from Tiruvarur during a severe drought, Rajendra Chola I (1012–1044), the ruler of the Chola, recognized the power of the instrument and ordered the other temples in his territory to establish similar traditions. As a sign of his appreciation of this miraculous performance, Rajendra Chola presented the musicians with two ivory nagasvarams. These have survived until today and are with T. S. Latchappa Pi??ai. These temple musicians trace their origins to the sage Durvasa and are called nayinAr or nayinAr adiyar. The music ensemble came to be known as Periya melam and the term chinna melam was referred to the dance of the devadasis associated with the temples.
The parts of the Nagasvaram are also associated with various beliefs. The seevali, a term used for the reed of the Nagasvaram, is said to derive either from Siva lingam, which the shape of the staple (ke??ai) resembles, or from siva oli, the sounds of Siva. Another symbolic association of nagasvaram music with Siva is manifested in the importance of the number five, which represents the five aspects of Siva. The Seevali is explained to be composed of five parts, each representing namasivaya (“obeisance of Siva”), the pancaksara of Siva. The Tavil has its legend aand is mentioned in the he Abhinava Bharata Sarasamgraha, a Sanskrit work by Mummadi Chikka Bhupala (c. 1670 A.D.), It mentions that the dolu was created by the ten-faced demon, Ravana or Ravanesvara, to awaken his brother, Kumbhakarna, from his deep slumber. The Tiruvarur temple is thus considered to be a location of over two centuries of unbroken musical tradition.
The Maharatta kings continued these Chola traditions and kings like shahaji
composed specific compositions on the deity and allocated land for the continued
performance of operas by the devadasi musicians. Later , it is also believed
that Ramaswami Dikshitar, Muthuswami Dikshitar's father was given the task of
organizing the rituals of the temple. However no written records exist to this
effect. Muthuswami Dikshitar is also said to have composed several compositions
for this purpose. He also taught music to several musicians and dancers of the
Isai Vellala community. His music was in turn influenced by the
traditional music of the Isai vellala community.
Rituals:
Daily Rituals:
Temple rituals fall into two categories the daily rituals and the annual festivals featuring processions.The daily rituals occur six times a day and the vadhyam is considered part of the shodashopacaras or the 16 types of adoration. Over a period of time, certain ragas came to be played and associated with certain times of the day and the corresponding rituals.
| Ritual | Time of Day | Ragam |
| Tiruppalliyezhucci | 5.30 AM | Bhupalam |
| Tiruvanandal | 6.00 AM | Bauli, Malayamarutam, Mayamalavagaula, Nadanamakriya, Revagupti, Valaji |
| Kalasandi | 8.00 AM | Abhogi, Arabhi, Asaveri, Bilahari, Dhanyasi Devagandhari, Kedaram,Saveri, Shuddha Bangala, Shuddha Dhanyasi, Shuddha Saveri,Suratti |
| Ucchikalam | 11.00 AM | Bangala, Manirangu, Madhyamavati, Shri |
| Sayarakshai | 5.00 PM | Bhairavi, Darbar, Harikambhoji, Kalyani, Kambhoji, Kharaharapriya, Nattakuranji, Pantuvarali, Purvikalyani, Ramapriya, shankarabharanam, Shanmukhapriya, Todi |
| Irandam Kalam | 7.00 PM | Abheri., Anandabhairavi, Atana, Begada, Kannada, Kedaragaula,
Mohanam, Simhendramadhyamam |
| Ardha Jamam | 9.00 PM | Lalita, Navroj |
| Pallaiyarai Sevai | 9.30 PM | Nilambari |
Traditionally the devadasis sung the early morning and the palliyarai sevai
music and this was later taken up by the nagasvaram musicians after the end of
the devadasi system. At this time the nagasvaram players improvise on the raga
and do not play the compositions. In addition there are some ragas which are
associated with certain times and played more often than other times.
Natakuranji and Darbar can be played at any time but it is almost always played
during the Sayarakshai. Gambhiranattai is typically played at the beginning of
the procession.These elaborate systems were observed in the temples of Tanjavur
sometime till the early 50's. Today, considering that the sayarakshai is the
longest ritual and more people visit the temple during those hours most temples
today have music only during this time.
Annual Festivals:
The annual bramotsavam and its schedule and duration depends on the temple.The musicians attached to the temple are allowed to perform atleast for one day. This is called honoring the devasthana vidwan and an ensemble that is visiting is known as veli melam and they are restricted to the processions and / or given concert slots.
Notable Nagasvara and Tavil Vidwans
Kottai Subbaraya Pillai - 1843-1919
It was said that he knew about 300 varnams and considered varnams to be a repository of musical knowledge. He was the descendant of Marimutha Pillai. His raga alapanas were considered to be highlights of the lakshanas of the ragas.
Kurainadu Natesa Pillai 1830-1925
He was the son of Kurainadu Ramaswami Pillai , a student of Muttusvami Dikshitar and was a polyglot and an expert in
Bharatha shastra. He switched to Nagasvaram when he was thirty and started
learning under his father in law Tiruvizhandur Subrahmanya Pillai, and also
under Kottai subbaraya Pillai and Injikkudi Kumara ppillai.He was an expert in
Playing pallavi.He could change the talas of a pallavi set in one tala to
another. He has composed about 116 tanavarnas in Telugu. He also set the music
for the temple of Tiruvizhandoor Parimalaranga natha temple. Based on this he
also set the repertoire for the Tillai temple at Chidambaram.Among his students
were Chidambaram Vaidyanatha Pillai , known famously as 'Pallavi Surangam' and
Injikkudi Pichaikkannu Pillai.
Tiruppamburam Natarajasundaram Pillai 1869-1938
The son of Swaminatha Pillai a nagasvaram artiste whose hometown was
Tiruppamburam. Swaminatha Pillai settled in Tiruvizhimizhalai at the behest of
Adhinakarta of Tiruvavaduthurai. His sons were Natarajasundaram Pillai and
Sivasubramaniya Pillai who came to be known as the Tiruppamburam brothers.
Swaminatha Pillai approached Umayalpuram Duraiswami Iyer and Sathanur
Panchanadha Iyer who were the representatives of the shishya paramparas of
Tyagaraja and Dikshitar and they taught them the compositions of Tyagaraja and
Dikshitar respectively. They established the norm of duet nagasvaram playing.
The brother's musical ability was appreciated by Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar and
Sarabha Sastri. It is said that Sarabha Sastri would preview his Harikatha
niroopanams to Nataraja Sundaram Pillai and seek his opinion. They also stressed
the importance of sahitya when playing the nagasvaram. Natarajasundaram Pillai
also published the Dikshitar Kirtana prakashika in the year 1936. His son was
the famous flautist Tiruppamburam Swaminatha Pillai.
Koviladi Lakshmana Pillai ( 1833- 1919 )
Tirumarugal Natesa Pillai ( 1874 - 1903 )
He was born in Tirumarugal but lived in Tiruvavaduthurai. He was honored by the Adheenakarta at Tiruvavaduthurai and served as the Adhina vidwan there. iHis nephew was Tiruvavaduthurai Rajaratnam Pillai.Nagapatnam Venugopala Pillai
Mannargudi ChinnaPakkiriya Pillai
Kumbakonam Sivakkozhundu
Semponnarkoil Ramaswami Pillai
He was born in Semponnar koil and lived in Mayavaram. He was an expert in playing Ragam Tanam Pallavi and Ragamalikas.His musical lineage include his sons Govindasami Pillai and Dakshinamurthy Pillai who were known as Semponnar koil brothers.
Like their father they also were experts in playing Pallavi and Rakti.
Keeranur brothers
Chinnatambi Pillai the son of Keeranur Govinda Pillai and Kannappillai the son of Sirupuliyoor Kandasami Pillai were not brothers by birth but by musical association.Chinnatambi Pillai was also adept in playing the Kanjira and Tavil.Tiruvavaduthurai Rajaratnam Pillai