Parai

Front side of Parai with the sticks used to play the instrument
Front side of Parai with the sticks used to play the instrument
Parai attam

The Parai (Tamil:பறை) or Thappu (Tamil:தப்பு) is one of the oldest drum used in India especial used in South India state of Tamil Nadu and also North and Eastern part of Sri Lanka. It is considered as one of the symbol of Tamil culture. In the ancient days, this instrument was used as a communication mechanism to convey messages to people and alert any danger. The word Thappu came into practice especially during Nayakar's rule in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to be the mother of all skin instruments in tamilnadu.

It consists of a circular wood frame with one end closed with cow skin membrane and the other end open. Thappu is played with two sticks, being one larger and thinner than the other one.[1] It is performed in dances, funerals, temple festivals and sport events. Thappu drum or Parai drum is also played to invoke the deities at Madras temples.

Kurunthokai mentions that Parai was used as an auspicious instrument in wedding. It was also used to alert the people in flood time. A type of parai called Ari parai was used in harvest time to make the birds fly off from the fields.[2] Another type of parai called Perum parai is found only in the Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu.[3]

The parai is played while dancing and called parai aattam Tamil: பறையாட்டம் (Parai Dance), and is also referred to as Adavu Tamil: அடவு. The parai aattam is a folk arts in Tamil Nadu.

Description

The parai is a frame drum about 35 centimeters in diameter. It consists of a shallow ring of wood, covered on one side with a stretched cow hide that is glued to the wooden frame. The preferred wood is neem wood although other types may be used. The shell is made up of three separate pieces of wood each in the shape of an arc. These pieces are held together by three metal plates. The parai is played with two sticks: one long and thin flat bamboo stick (approx. 28 cm) called 'Sundu Kuchi'[4] and one short and thick stick called 'Adi Kucchi'[5] that can be made from any variety of wood (approx. 18 cm)

Technique

The parai is slung by a strap on one shoulder (weak/off hand side) and is held vertically by pushing it towards the performer's body. This simple harness allows the drummer to play while standing, walking, or dancing. The parai is played entirely with two sticks Adikuchi and Sundu Kuchi.
There are three fundamental strokes from which all of the rhythmic patterns are derived; striking the center of the drum with the shorter stick held in the strong/dominant hand, "slapping" the center of the drum with the long stick held in the weak/off hand, and striking the drum with both sticks, the dominant immediately followed by the off. The short stick (adikuchi) is loosely held between the thumb and three other fingers: index, middle, and ring of the dominant hand. It is held vertically upright, positioned near the lower rim of the drum. The off hand which holds the long stick rests on the upper part of the frame. This stick is positioned at a angle pointed downward. The base of the stick is gripped by the thumb and index fingers and balanced between the middle and ring fingers. The long stick is moved back and forth using the ring finger and thumb respectively
Just before the commencement of every performance, drummers will heat the parai, holding them extremely close to a small bonfire, so that the heat absorbs the moisture in the drum heads and tightens them considerably. After heating, the drums produce a high pitched loud cracking sound when struck.

History

In Tamil, the word 'parai' means to 'speak' or to 'tell'. It is the parai as an ancient instrument performed in the courts of Sangam, Chola, and Pandiyan rulers. The drums were used to announce important messages and orders of the great Tamil Kings.
In olden days, parai was used for multiple reasons, ranging from warning people about the upcoming war, requesting the civilians to leave the battlefield, to announce victory or defeat, to stop a breaching water body, to gather farmers for farming activities, to warn the wild animals about people's presence, festivals, wedding, celebrations, worship of nature and so on.[6] Parai had been an instrumental part of the people's life.

Different variety of Parai

Documentary on Parai

Anna University Educational Multimedia Research Center made a documentary on Parai in the name of Parai - Mother of Percussion [7]

Ethnographic documentary on parai drummers [8] by Dr.Zoe Sherinian[9] presently in post-production

Parai Music Bands/Troupes

In India

Listed below (in alphabetical order) are some Parai music & dance troupes in Tamil nadu

In Western Countries

References

  1. ↑ "Parai". Virtual Instrument Museum, Wesleyan University, US. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Secular and sacred". The Hindu (India). 3 January 2013.
  3. ↑ "Music of the people". The Hindu (Coimbatore, India). 26 August 2012.
  4. ↑ http://www.vikatan.com/new/article.php?module=magazine&aid=102105
  5. ↑ http://www.vikatan.com/new/article.php?module=magazine&aid=102105
  6. ↑ http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/secular-and-sacred/article4268995.ece
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4WLQb57Q9g&list=PL887D53C4C5213A0F
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32XhnopYcNc
  9. ↑ http://www.ou.edu/finearts/music/faculty-staff/zoe-sherinian.html
  10. ↑ http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article1428556.ece
  11. ↑ http://tamil.thehindu.com/society/lifestyle/%E0%AE%AA%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%88-%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A8%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%81-%E0%AE%A8%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D/article7089041.ece
  12. ↑ http://www.valaitamil.com/usa-st-luis-software-engineers-playing-parai-isai_10962.html
  13. ↑ http://www.ohmkaram.org/American_Parai_Team.pdf
  14. ↑ http://www.lokvani.com/lokvani/article.php?article_id=11821

See also

External links

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