Thiruvananthapuram :

Any attempt to find a connection between Kerala’s popular percussion instrument chenda and pieces of bamboo may sound bizarre. But in the hands of a set of tribal artists from Kasaragod, bamboo pieces chatter in a voice similar to that of chenda.

Named as mulam chenda (bamboo drum), the instrument is made of one-meter long bamboo pieces, end of which are tied with long ropes. The instrument with long narrow slits on the middle part of the bamboo pieces has tonal resemblance with chenda when hit with specially designed sticks.

According to Ananthan M V and his troupe of nine other percussionists hailing from ‘Mavilar’ tribal community from Kasaragod, the instrument is a symbol of their indigenous culture and music, which is now a part of their livelihood. The group was in the city as part of the ‘Thala Maholsavam’ organized by Vylopilly Samskrithi Bhavan that began on Saturday.With the support of Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies (Kirtads) and other government-registered organizations the team has performed in more than 350 venues across the country.

The group often uses mulam chenda as an accompaniment to the tribal songs composed by them in Malayalam and Tulu. “As per the custom, the actual duration of the performance is one day with intervals, but when performing outside we have to do it in a stipulated time and we prepare the songs and rhythms accordingly,” Ananthan said.

Mulam chendas are classified into two, the ‘veek chenda’ or the bass drum and ‘mani chenda’ or the melody drum. The instrument was used for ritual customs to please the presiding deity of the tribe, marriage rituals and to scare off birds and animals from agricultural fields. To make mulam chendas one has to select the suitable pieces from the bamboo variety ‘aringadom mula’, which should be done on a new moon day that too according to the moopan’s (tribe leader) guidelines.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Thiruvananthapuram / TNN / March 16th, 2015