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| History of Tamil Nadu |
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| Indian classical music |
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| Sangam literature | ||||
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| Eighteen Greater Texts | ||||
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| Eighteen Lesser Texts | ||||
| Bhakti Literature | ||||
Theancient Tamil music is the historical predecessor of theCarnatic music during theSangam period spanning from 500 BCE to 200 CE.[1]
Many poems of the classicalSangam literature were set to music. There are various references to this ancient musical tradition found in the ancient Sangam books such asEttuthokai andPattupattu. The early narrative poemCilappatikaram, belonging to the post-Sangam period (5th or 6th century) also mentions various forms of music practiced by the Tamil people.
Music was an integral part of the compositions of the Tamil Saiva saints such asAppar,Siva Prakasar,Thirugnana Sambanthar andManikkavasagar during theHindu revival period between the 6th and the 10th century.
The Sangam age grammatical workTolkappiyam mentions the various music pertaining to the fivelandscapes (thinai) of the Sangam literature. The five landscapes are associated with a particular mood of the poem and to give colour to these moods, each had a musical mood (pann), a melodic instrument (yaazh) and a percussion instrument (parai). For example, theneithal thinai, which dealt with the incidents around the seashore and the theme of elopement, had the musical mood ofsevvazhi,Vilari yaazh as the musical instrument and thenavayapambai for the percussion.Tolkappiyam also mentions the musical form known asPaattu Vannam and various types of songs likeAsiriapattu,Neduven pattu,Adivarai,Seer,Ahaval Osai andVellosai, which are classified on the basis of the musical quality, metrical structure etc. Most of the Sangam age poetry used one or more of these meters in their compositions. Poems of theEttuthohai anthology, such as theNatrinai,Paripaatal andKaliththokai are extensively musical in nature and use variouspanns to create the mood.[2]
Poems of the Sangam literature contain numerous mentions of the various musical instruments such as theSeerkazhi, a stringed instrument of theVeena type and various percussion instruments such asmurasu ormuzham.Pattupaatu contains a description of theyazh, a stringed instrument. There were two types ofyaazh,Periyaazh or the 'large yaazh' contained 21 strings, whereas its more compact companionSiriyaazh had only seven strings. Two other types ofyaazhs,Makarayaazh with 19 strings andSakottuyaazh with seven strings are also mentioned inPattuppattu. However, we have no further information on their actual appearance, mode of playing and the kind of melody generated by these instruments.
Theflute was the most popular wind instrument during the Sangam period.Perumpanarruppatai, one of thePattupattu anthologies, describes the process of making the flute. The holes in the bamboo tube were bored using red-hot embers. The flute is also mentioned in theKurincippattu as the instrument on which the shepherds played theambal pann. Among the other wind instruments were thePili, a small trumpet andKanvidutumbu a larger flute), perhaps producing lower octaves. The flute also acted as a drone providing a constant pitch for vocalists and other instruments 'as long as the trunk of an elephant'.
TheMurasu, or the drum was the most popular percussion instrument. During festivals, the sound of Murasu conveyed joy and gaiety.Muzhavu, another percussion instrument accompanied singers. The drum was also used as the war-drum, calling people to arms.Mathuraikkanci mentions that themurasu was one of the prized possessions captured from the defeated enemy in the battlefield.Malaipatukatam describes the method of constructing and tuning themurasu. The sides were covered with skin, which were kept in position by leather straps.Malaipatukatam also mentions other percussion instruments such asudukkai, a palm-sized drum,Muzhavu,Siruparai andTattai. The soundtattai resembled the croaking of a frog. This was a crude folk instrument made using a bamboo stick. Numerous slits were made across the stick and sound was produced on it by striking it on a stone or any other hard surface. In theKurincippattu peasant women usetattai to scare the birds from the paddy field.A well-known percussion instrument is themridangam (mathangam). It's a double headed drum used to accompany theveena (Yaazh) and theflute among other instruments.
List of Musical instruments used by ancientTamil people was listed inTirumurai[3] dated between 6th and 11th century CE and include Akuli, Idakkai, Ilayam,Udukkai, Yezhil, Kathirikkai, Kandai, Karathalam, Kallalaku, Kalavadam, Kavil, Kazhal, Kalam, Kinai, Kinkini, Kilai, Kinnaram, Kudamuzha, Kuzhal, Kaiyalaku, Kokkarai, Kodukotti, Kottu, Kombu, Sangu, Sachari, Sanchalam, Salari, Siranthai, Silambu, Sinam, Thagunicham, Thakai, Thadari, Thattazhi, Thathalagam, Thandu,Thannumai, Thamarugam, Thaarai, Thaalam, Thuthiri, Thunthubi, Thudi, Thuriyam, Thimilai, Thondagam, Naral Surisangu, Padagam, Padutham, Panilam, Pambai, Palliyam, Parandai, Parai, Paani, Paandil, Pidavam, Perigai,Mathalam, Mani, Maruvam,Murasu, Muravam, Murugiyam, Murudu, Muzhavu, Monthai, Yaazl, Vangiyam, Vattanai, Vayir,Veenai, Veelai, and Venkural.
In Tamil music, thesargam "sa-ri-ga-ma-pa-da-ni" of the Indian classical music were known by their Tamil namesKural (குரல்),Tuttam (துத்தம்),Kaikilai (கைக்கிளை),Uzhai (உழை),Ili (இளை),Vilari (விளரி) andTaram (தாரம்). There are notations for the notes in different octaves. For example,Kurai Tuttam andNirai Tuttam refer to theri (rishabha) note in the lower and upper octaves respectively.[2]
Raga, which defines the mood of the Indian classical music was described by thePann. Specificpanns were sung during worship and during religious and royal ceremonies.Maduraikanchi refers to women singingSevvazhi pann to invoke the mercy of God during childbirth. InTolkappiyam, the five landscapes of the Sangam literature had an associatedPann, each describing the mood of the song associated with that landscape.
The Sangam landscape was classified into five regions to describe the mood of the poem and to describe the intangibles of human emotions. While describing life and romance, the poets employed the background of the natural landscape and used thepann specific to that landscape to provide the mood. Theneithal landscape, which is employed to convey the grief of separation of lovers had the associatedsevvazhi pann expressing pathos.
"The south Indian music system, which was indeed Tamil Pannisai, was erroneously named, for the first time, Karnataka sangeetham in the 12th century by a western-Chalukya king, Someswara Bhuloka Mamalla, in his ‘Manasoullasam', a monumental work that dealt with all the subjects under the sun, including music. In no other language in India, there existed at that time Sahityas (musical compositions) as they did in Tamil. Though most of the music manuals written from the 9th century onwards were in Sanskrit, the source materials for them — like the varieties of ‘ragas' ( pann) they had mentioned in their works — were all associated with the Tamil literary works, like ‘Silappadikaram', ‘Thevaram', and ‘Nalayira Divya Prabhandam'.."[4]
The post-Sangam period, between the third and the fifth centuries CE, Tamil music evolved to a different level of sophistication.Cilappatikaram, written around the fifth century CE, describes music based on logical, systematic and scientific calculations in the arrangements of the dancers on the stage to represent the notes andpanns.Cilappatikaram contains several chapters dedicated to music and dance, of which the most famous is thekanal vari which is a duet between the heroKovalan and his lady-loveMadavi.Cilappatikaram contains musical terminology such as,azhaku andmatthirai referring to the musical pitch and the smallest fraction of an audible sound distinguishable by the human ear. From these evolved the scales. One of the first scales employed by the ancient Tamils was themullaippann, apentatonic scale composed of the notessa ri ga pa da equivalent to C, D, E, G and A in the western notations. These fullyharmonicscales, constitutes theragaMohanam in theCarnatic music style. These scales can also be found in many eastern music systems such as theChinese traditional music.
Mullaippann further evolved intoSempaalai, a scale based on seven notes. The ancient Tamils also derived newpanns by the process of modal shift of tonic and by the process of reallocating the pitch and beat of the notes.Cilappatikaram has an example of this in the chapterArangetrukadai, where thePann Mercharupalai is changed to derive a newPann. The four originalpanns ofmaruthappann,kurinchippann,sevvazhi andsadari thus evolved into 103panns with varying characterisations. Some of thepanns and their equivalent Carnatic ragas were:
The Important Modes of Tamil Music are grouped as Seven Great Modes (Ezh Perum Paalai). From them, 2 Modes are removed and remaining 5 are employed inTolkappiam, there they are mentioned as Yaazh instead of Paalai or Pann which is meant to denote Musical Scale or Raaga. Also the 5 SmallModes of Tamil are derived from those 5 Great Modes. All of them are listed below, along with their Western and Carnatic equivalents :- (This doesn't mean that these Systems predate Tamil Music System.).
| 7 Great Modes / Heptatonics | 5 Tinai Tolkappiam Yāḻ | Eq. Carnatic Raga | 7 Western Modes | Western Scales | 5 Small Modes / Pentatonics Yāḻiṉ pakuti | Eq. Carnatic Raga | Eq. Western Scales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SemPaalai | Mullai | Harikambodhi | Mixolydian | MullaitheemPaaNi | Mohanam | Major Pentatonic | |
| PadumalaipPaalai | Kurinji | Natabairavi | Aeolian | Minor Scale | Sendhurutti | Madhyamavati | Egyptian_Suspended |
| SevvazhipPaalai | --- | Todi with 2 Ma | Locrian | --- | --- | --- | |
| ArumPaalai | Paalai | Sankarabaranam | Ionian | Major Scale | Konrai | Suddha Saveri | Blues Major |
| KOdipPaalai | Marudham | Karaharapriya | Dorian | Aambal | Suddha Dhanyasi | Minor Pentatonic | |
| ViLaripPaalai | Neidhal | Todi | Phrygian | Indhalam | Hindolam | Blues Minor | |
| MerchemPaalai | --- | Kalyani | Lydian | --- | --- | --- |
(Note:- Yāḻ denotes a 7-Note Heptatonic Scale and Yāḻiṉ pakuti denotes a 5-Note Pentatonic Scale)
The 7 Mode Set is self generative, with the 1st Mode, if we apply a method called Kural Thiribu or PannupPeyarttal (which is Tonic Shift, or Rotation), we will get therest of 6 Modes. The Last mode will yield back the 1st Mode, its Cyclic in same order. Same applies for the 5 Pentatonic Scale set, too. The English Term 'Tonic Shift'is 1st coined by one Mr. VPK sundaram who was an important Tamil-Music Theorist and author of several Books and Articles in this topic. He coined the term in his book,Pancha Marabu, in 1991(Page 3).
Cilappatikaram makes reference to five types of instruments:Tolkaruvi (lit. 'skin instruments' = percussion),Tulaikaruvi (lit. 'holed instruments' = wind instruments),Narambukaruvi (stringed instruments),Midatrukaruvi (vocalists) andKanchakaruvi (gongs and cymbals). The flute and theyaazh were the most popular instruments, while there were numerous kinds of percussion instruments suited for various occasions.Cilappatikaram also contains detailed instructions on the art of tuning and playing theyaazh.
Between the fifth and the sixth centuries the Tamil literature was dominated by a moralistic age during which a number of literary works of didactic nature were produced. These poets did not attach much importance to music in their compositions, being more concerned with ethics and morals of the people. However the underlying musical culture was not forgotten. For example,Tirukkural contains numerous allusions to music and the enjoyment of music. One famous example is thekural compares unfavourably the sweetness of the flute and theyaazh with the voice of children.
Tamil music revived with the advent of the Saiva andVaishnava saints who composed thousands of hymns in popular language to spread their faith among common people. Saivitenayanmars such as Appar, Thirugnana Sambanthar andSundarar used the ancientpanns to enable people to sing them in Temples. The SaivaTevarams and the VaishnaNaalayira Divyap Prabhandhams were instrumental in the revival and the popularisation of Tamil music.In addition to thepanns for the melody, theTevaram poems usedsantham (rhythm) such asthaana-thana-thaanaa-thanaa in their lyrics, providing a complete musical experience to the listener.
The traditional of religious singing continued for many centuries during which singers known asOthuvars sang theTevaram songs in temples. The musical knowledge and skills were orally passed on through generations.
In the fifteenth century poet Arunagirinathar composed a series of poems known asThiruppugazh. Arunagirinathar represents a remarkable blend of Tamil literary genius, a high degree of devotion to Murugan and a musical expertise. Arunagirinathar was one of the first poet to set all his compositions to reverberating music in the style of "Santham" which means setting the verses within a certain length to conform with rhythm (thala). Arunagirinathar was the pioneer in the art of setting his poems to the sweet sounds of music. Just like the seven octaves in music, Arunagirinathar, is known as asanthakkavi – musical poet, uses certain repetitive phrases rhythmically to achieve movement and colour in his poems. By combining the Tamil hard or soft consonants and long or short vowels in different ways, Arunagirinathar produces hundreds of compound rhythmic words such as,tatta,taatta,tantha,thaantha,thaiya,thanna,thaana,thanana, etc. At the beginning of each poem in theThiruppugazh, Arunagirinathar gives the rhythm notations.
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