The nadaswaram (Tamil: நாதஸ்வரம் ) (Malayalam: നാദസ്വരം ) is a double reed wind instrument from Tamil Nadu. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

This instrument is "among the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instruments." It is a wind instrument somewhat similar to the North Indian shehnai, but much longer. It has a hardwood body, a large bell made of wood or metal, and a double reed instead of a quadruple reed.

In South Indian culture, the nadaswaram is considered very auspicious. It is an important musical instrument played in most Hindu weddings and temples in South Indian traditions. It belongs to a group of instruments called mangala vadyam (meaning "auspicious instrument"). The instrument is usually played in pairs and accompanied by a pair of drums called thavil. It can also be played with a drone sound from a similar oboe called the ottu.

History

The nadasvaram is mentioned in many old Tamil writings, such as records that show land grants from the Vijayanagara Empire (around the mid-1400s) and inscriptions from Achyuta Deva Raya (about the 1530s). In these records, the instrument's name is written as nagaswaram or nakaswaram. A 17th-century music guide called Padasangraham also describes an instrument named nagaswaram. The ancient story Cilappatikaram (about the 5th century) refers to an instrument called vangiyam, though this may have been a type of flute. The structure of the nadasvaram matches this description. Because it has seven holes played with seven fingers, it was also called "eḻil." This instrument is still played in Tamil Nadu and is enjoyed by Tamil communities living in other countries.

Construction

The nadasvaram has three parts: kuḻal, thimiru, and anasu. It is a double reed instrument with a cone-shaped tube that gets wider toward the bottom. The top has a metal piece (mel anaichu) into which a small metal cylinder (kendai) is inserted. This cylinder holds the mouthpiece made of reed. The instrument also has a small ivory or horn needle to remove saliva and debris from the reed, allowing air to flow freely. A metal bell (keeḻ anaichu) forms the bottom of the instrument.

The reed, called seevali, is made from dried grass. Traditionally, the body of the nadasvaram is made from a tree called aacha (Tamil ஆச்சா; Hindi अंजन). Today, materials such as bamboo, sandalwood, copper, brass, ebony, and ivory are also used. For wooden instruments, old wood is preferred, and sometimes wood from old buildings that were torn down is used.

The nadasvaram has seven finger holes and five additional holes at the bottom. These holes can be covered with wax to change the sound. The instrument has a range of two and a half octaves, similar to the Indian bansuri flute. Both instruments use similar finger positions, but the nadasvaram produces semi and quarter tones by adjusting air pressure and strength, not by partially opening or closing finger holes. Because it is very loud, the nadasvaram is best played outdoors rather than in indoor spaces.

Players

Some of the most famous early nadasvaram players are:

• T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai (1898–1956)
• Karukurichi Arunachalam (1921–1964)
• Thiruvizha Jayashankar (born in 1940)
• Semponnarkoil Brothers S R G Sambandam and Rajanna
• Dharumapuram S. Abiramisundaram Pillai and his son Dharumapuram A Govindarajan
• Sheik Chinna Moulana (1924–1999)
• Sheik Mahaboob Subhani
• Namagiripettai Krishnan (1924–2001)
• S. R. D. Vaidyanathan (1929–2013)
• Domada Chittabbayi (1930–2002)
• Umapathy Kandasamy (1950–2017)

American composers like Lewis Spratlan have praised the nadasvaram. Some jazz musicians have also played the instrument. Charlie Mariano (1923–2009) was one of the few non-South Asians to play it. He studied the instrument while living in India. Vinny Golia, J. D. Parran, and William Parker have performed and recorded with the instrument. The German saxophonist Roland Schaeffer also plays it. He studied with Karupaia Pillai from 1981 to 1985.

In popular culture

In the 1960s, two Tamil movies, Konjum Salankai (1962) and Thillana Mohanambal (1968), included nadasvaram music. In Konjum Salankai, the actor Gemini Ganesan starred, and the nadasvaram music was provided by Karukurichi Arunasalam Pillai. In Thillana Mohanambal, the actor Sivaji Ganesan starred, and the nadasvaram music for the characters Sivaji Ganesan and A.V.M. Rajan was performed by Madurai Sethuraman and the Ponnusamy brothers. The director of Thillana Mohanambal, AP Nagarajan, dedicated the movie to the legendary musician Karukurichi Arunachalam.