Dr. Vellore A.R.Srinivasan is a Carnatic vocalist, percussionist and composer. Srinivasan learnt vocal music from Sri S.Janakiraman and Sri M.R.Srinivasan at Vellore and later, Sri M. Raghavendra, son of the famous Bellary duo. He started learning percussion music from the Tavil Vidwan, Late Vellore C.M. Kuttiappa, and is now receiving advanced training in percussion from Vidwan Thiruvarur Sri R.Krishnamurthy.   Srinivasan has been playing Kanjira and Morsing on the professional circuit for over a decade now and has also been performing as a concert vocalist in South India. He has composed more than 700 krithis. He is also Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute in Pondicherry, India.   Related Links   - Scott Robinson's page on Carnatic percussion instruments and artists - Introduction to South Indian Kanjira : Part 1 by Pete Lockett

Upa-pakkavadyam in Carnatic music by Dr. Vellore A.R.Srinivasan

Carnatic music, or South Indian classical music, is a very highly evolved art form. Like other classical traditions in India, it is based on the fundamental concepts of Raga (melodic structure), Tala (rhythm structure) and Bhava (expression of thought and emotion). But these are more than just fundamental musical elements; they are the very dimensions along which the growth and evolution of Carnatic music can be characterised over the ages.

This focus of this article is the aspect of Tala, specifically, the role of percussion accompaniment in Carnatic music performance. The mridangam is considered king among Carnatic percussion instruments and is practically indispensable to a kutcheri (Carnatic performance), be it vocal or instrumental. To quote the mridangam vidwan Palghat Raghu, "While in the U.S., K.V.Narayanaswamy and I performed at many places without a violin. But a concert without mridangam would not have been possible. It is the mridanga that gives life to any (Carnatic) concert."

Much has been said and written about the mridangam, and rightly so. But in this article, we shall focus our attention on the upa-pakkavadyam (secondary) tala instruments--Kanjira, Ghatam and Morsing--and discuss their role and place in Carnatic music, playing techniques, prominent artists and the 'bani's (styles) they have evolved over time.

Percussion in a Carnatic performance

When a krithi (musical composition) is rendered, it is usually the mridangam that provides the sole tala accompaniment starting with the pallavi. It is in the anupallavi that the mridangist usually passes the tala baton to the upa-pakkavadyam artistes. The idea is to introduce some variety (the mridangam having established a 'path'), and allow the upa-pakkavadyam to prove their mettle and enhance the level of the concert.The mridangam artist entrusts the laya forte to the kanjira, ghatam and/or morsing artists for a short period of time. Some times, the mridangam artist may choose to take over the reins completely, if s/he feels that the upa-pakkavadyam is not up to par and/or is not coming together in a coherent manner. During the charanam, it is the mridangam that dominates again, though opportunities for play may be provided to the upa-pakkavadyam. During neraval and swaram, the mridangam typically plays with the main artist and the upa-pakkavadyam with melodic accompaniment such as the violin. This is a broad convention that is currently in vogue on the kutcheri platform; nothing is strictly laid out.

It is customary for the upa-pakkavadyam to play softly with the mridangam, in alert anticipation of the rhythmic patterns the mridangam artist has started to introduce. Interaction among the various pakkavadyam artists is a unique experience for performers and rasikas alike. The style of interaction in a concert depends primarily on whether it is a standard kutcheri or a percussion ensemble (Talavadya kutcheri). In the latter, each artist enjoys an individual status. In the former, the upa-pakkavadyam artist plays a secondary role to the mridangam and has to await his/her turn during a composition, neraval, svaram or tani-avartanam. During the tani, the mridangam artist leads the performance, followed by the kanjira, ghatam and morsing artists respectively.

In all fairness, it should be noted that the hierarachy or domination in relationships among percussionists on stage changes when the upa-pakkavadyam artists are recognized experts. In reality, there seems to be a great deal of adhoc-ism in the roles that the upa-pakkavadyam have to play and there is nothing prescribed or pre-defined. The bani (style) gets organised more by the particular mridangam artist (Palghat Raghu, Umayalapuram Sivaraman, Trichy Sankaran, Karaikkudi Mani, Thiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam) than any pre-defined/preconceived rule or agreement. Some artists who have teamed up for many concerts (e.g., Karaikkudi Mani and Suresh, T.K.Murthy and Vinayakram) may have an implicit understanding of how the partnership will play out on stage.

The Kanjira

The kanjira, or the ganjira, is the Carnatic equivalent of the Frame Drum of the West. It belongs to the tambourine family and is a major upa-pakkavadyam in Carnatic concerts. It is also played in Orissa and some parts of Northern India. The modern version of the kanjira was acceded to the regular Carnatic genre during the early 20^th century.

The kanjira basically consists of a circular wooden frame made of jackfruit tree, of variable diameter and 2 to 4 inches in depth. The head is made out of the skin of monitor lizard (Varanus bengalensis; this animal incidentally is listed as an endangered species by the Govt. of India.) The other side of the instrument is left open. The frame has jingles that complement the bass sound originating from the kanjira.

The kanjira is not a shruthi (tonal) instrument and by virtue of this, it could be used as a upa-pakkavadyam irrespective of the pitch of the main performer. Sprinkling some water on it attenuates the tension of the playing head and yields a sonorous but pleasant bass sound. Since the tone is affected by external temperature and moisture, kanjira artists essentially carry a few instruments with them so that at least one is in perfectly playable condition with uniform sound, at any given point of time.

The instrument is usually held in the left hand and played with the palm and fingers of the right hand. Variations and distinct nuances in sound can be brought out by applying controlled pressure proximal to the outer rim, with the left hand. Basically, there are only two well documented syllables that could be played on the kanjira-- Tha and Thum.The artist uses his intuition, alertness, dexterity and musical acumen to produce distinct and interesting rhythmic patterns.

It is believed that Vidwan Chitoor Radhakrishnan, a disciple of Saint Thyagaraja had used the kanjira as an accompanying instrument. Vidwan Pudukottai Manpoondia Pillai (1859 - 1922), the founder of the Pudukkottai bani, is credited with introducing the kanjira as a concert instrument. Dr.U.V.Swaminatha Ayyar, the grand old man of Tamil Literature made a reference or two about Kanjira Krishnamachariar and Tiruvidaimarudur Kanjira Radhakrishna Ayyar, who belonged to a generation much earlier to that of Manpoondia Pillai. But Pillai, as one who was instrumental in elevating the status of this upa-pakkavadyam, came to be generally regarded as the father of modern kanjira. He began his career as a humble lantern bearer at the Pudukottai palace. Possessing inherent tala and percussion skills, he initially learnt the tavil from Vidwan Tirugokarnam Mariappan. Manpoondia Pillai introduced intricate laya patterns to Carnatic musicians in the form of korvais and moharas. Stalwart musicians like Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer are said to have gone to him to train in complex talas and rhythmic exercises.

In the field of percussion in Carnatic music, two major banis are generally acknowledged--the Thanjavur style, represented by Palghat Mani Iyer and T.K.Murthy, and the Pudukkottai style, inherited and improved upon by Palani Subramania Pillai. The disciples of  Pudukkottai Manpoondia Pillai, particularly Dakshinamoorthy Pillai and Muthiah Pillai, excelled in all percussion instruments, especially the kanjira. Palani Subramania Pillai emulated this feat and he was an expert in both the mridangam and the kanjira. He studied the nuances of laya with the Tavil wizard, Ilupur Panchapakesa Pillai (also known as Tavil Panchami), and was very influenced by Dakshinamurthy Pillai, who was already a renowned mridangam vidwan at the time. Concerts featuring Palghat Mani Iyer, Ramnad C.S.Murugaboopathy and Palani were invariably crowd pullers. During the tani avarthanam, Palani on the kanjira equalled or even excelled the best of mridangam artists. Palani was a giant among the percussionists of yesteryears, and his bani has became extremely popular and spread far and wide. His style emphasizes the role of percussion in enhancing sahitya bhava and musical richness. The same philosophy has been adapted by his disciples to the art of playing the kanjira. The spontaneous flow of "Nadais", "Sollus" and "Sollukkatus", and proper use of of hard and soft strokes on the kanjira (Vallinam and Mellinam) are hallmarks of the Palani bani.  For more on this subject, readers are refered to The Music Academy Journal (1958) for Palani's scholarly article on the development and role of kanjira as a concert percussion instrument. Some of Palani's distinguished disciples, Ramnad Kandaswamy and Pallathur Lakshmanan, also were masters of both the mridangam and the kanjira. 

The Ghatam

The ghatam is regarded as one of the oldest documented rhythm instruments in the Carnatic genre of Classical music. It is said that a cowherd used to play on the pot as an accompaniment to Lord Krishna’s flute! The ghatam is known as Noot and Mudki in North and West India respectively and unlike in South India, the pots are used only for folk music.

The mouth of the ghatam is open, but narrow and played with both hands, wrists, fingers and even the nails! The ghatam is an embodiment of the pancha-bhuthas or five elements of the universe-- earth, water, air, fire and space. The Ghatam is no ordinary clay pot. It is a specially designed one made from a mixture of clay, brass/copper filings, and iron filings. The shruthi or pitch of this instrument is proportional to the size. The pitch can be slightly varied by applying plasticine and water to its interior. Though the ghatam is manufactured in several places in South India, musicians prefer the ones made at Manamadurai in Tamilnadu.

With reference to Carnatic music, the instrument is placed on the lap with its mouth facing the stomach of the artist. By controlling the stomach muscles and the air that flows through the passage between the ghatam and the stomach, different sounds are produced, e.g., the 'gumki.'  The ’hold’ position of the ghatam can also be changed while playing, especially during the tani avarthanam, where the instrument is thrown up in the air and caught in perfect compliance with the tala cycle. This act always evokes spontaneous applause from the audience.

Technically speaking, there are only seven syllables in the ghatam vocabulary-- Tha, Thi, Thom, Nam, Ti, Kun and Na. Different tones and syllables can be produced by hitting different areas of the pot with different parts of the hands. An expert can produce new and complex overtones to the same syllables. Such tonal complexity is displayed especially during the neraval, ragam-tanam-pallavi and swara-prastharas. Fast paced rhythmic patterns (Farans) in the five nadais--Chatusra, Tisra, Kanda, Misra and Sankeerna--can be elicited with great clarity on the ghatam. Generally, upa-pakkavadyam such as the kanjira or the ghatam are played in succession to enhance the overall effect.

During the percussion ensemble, the ghatam and its counterparts, the kanjira and the morsing, should match the rhythmic patterns played on the mridangam. This should be a beautiful conversation in rhythm and not an exercise in one-upmanship.

Related web-sites: Giridhar Udupa's Ghatam page, Vidushi Sukanya Ramgopal's Ghatam page

The Morsing

The morsing is also known as morching or morchung. This belongs to the family of lamellophones. It is probably the most sleek and inexpensive percussion (tala) instrument! Basically, the morsing is made up of a metal ring in the shape of a horseshoe. Two parallel forks form the frame and a central metal tongue is fixed at one end and free to vibrate at the other end. The pitch of the instrument is fixed, though slight attenuation could be brought about by applying beeswax. The morsing of Carnatic music is similar to the Jew’s harp of North America. The instrument is common in Rajasthan, where it is used in folk music. According to Vidwan Srirangam Kannan, morsing has its origin in Greece. We have it from Sri B.M.Sundaram, the renowned musicologist, that Aditapuram Seetharamiah was the earliest known morsing artist in Carnatic music.

The instrument is placed between the teeth and held in the hand. The other hand is employed to strike. The plucking is done with the index finger. Variations in blowing/sucking air with the simultaneous 'uttering' of the syllables using the tip of the tongue are responsible for producing different rhythmic patterns. By controlled constriction of the space in the mouth and throat, many variations of melodious sounds could be produced. Since the morsing is played along with the mridangam, it becomes necessary to know the syllables played on the mridangam. Morsing artists usually mentally recite these syllables while playing the morsing.

Vidwans Mannargudi Natesa Pillai, T.R.Harihara Sharma, Madras Pakkiriswamy and Pudukottai Mahadevan have made significant contributions to the growth of this instrument, with respect to the concert scenario. Although there are a few good artists in the present day that are technically very skilled and working on exploring a new-and-improved vocabulary for the morsing, this instrument, of all the upa-pakkavadyam discussed here, is on the brink of extinction.  

Conclusion

There is a general feeling in the Carnatic music community that the future of upa-pakkavadyam, especially the likes of Tavil and Morsing, is uncertain. That these instruments are considered secondary percussion (hence not indispensable like the mridangam) and that there often exist inequities in financial remuneration among the primary and secondary percussion, may be reasons against specializing in upa-pakkavadyam.

Some talented percussionists have tried to build awareness and elevate the position of these upa-pakkavadyam by breaking the mould and presenting percussion concerts (tala-vadya kutcheries), collaborating with drummers from other world traditions, and extending the role of the instrument and its art beyond traditional boundaries. Purists typically frown on such 'experimentation', and point to master percussionists of our times that have been able to do ample justice to their art, and their instrument, by the richness and depth displayed within the confines of a tani-avarthanam, or by the sowkhyam (sensitivity and restraint) displayed while accompanying a krithi or neraval.

No matter what the preferences of musicians and rasikas, if the recent crop of young musicians specializing in the ghatam, the kanjira, and even the morsing, is anything to go by, the trend seems to be reversing slowly but surely, and our upa-pakkavadyam seem destined to thrive.