Yazh

Yazh

The yazh (Tamil: யாழ், also transliterated yaaḻ) is a harp used in ancient Tamil music which was the ancestor of modern day veena. It was named so, because the tip of stem of this instrument was carved into the head of the mythological animal Yali. The yazh was an open-stringed polyphonous instrument, with gut strings (narambu) with a wooden boat-shaped skin-covered resonator and an ebony stem.^[1][2]

Historical descriptions

Thiruvalluvar, the 200 BC Tamil poet, mentions yazh in his work Thirukkural.^[3] Many major Tamil classical literary masterpieces written during Sangam period dating back 200 BC have mentioned the yazh. Silappatikaram, written by a Tamil king Ilango Adigal, mentions four kinds of yazhs:^[4]

• Periyazh, 21 strings
• Makarayazh, 19 strings
• Cakotayazh, 14 strings
• Cenkottiyazh, 7 strings

Other types of yazh are:

• Mayil Yazh - resembling a peacock^[5]
• Vil Yazh - resembling a bow^[6]

The Tamil literature Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai says the strings of a yazh should not have any twists in them. Silappatikaram mentions four types of defects in yazh. Other Tamil literature which have mentions on yazh are Seevaga Sindhamani and Periya Puranam.^[7] Yazh are seen in sculptures in the Darasuram and Thirumayam temples in Tamil Nadu and also in Amaravathi village, Guntur district.^[8] Swami Vipulananda has written a book of scientific research in Tamil called the Yal Nool.

References

1. "Musical instruments played in India". Chapter of SPICMACAY, Cornell University. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
2. "Celebrating unheard melodies". The Hindu (India). 25 December 2010.
3. Tamil Literature Society, Academy of Tamil Culture (1966). Tamil Literature Society, Xavier S. Thani Nayagam, Academy of Tamil Culture, ed. Tamil culture. Tamil (Indic people) (in English and Tamil). Volume 12. Academy of Tamil Culture. pp. 208, 209.
4. Rangarajan, Haripriya (2001). Haripriya Rangarajan, G. Kamalakar, A. K. V. S. Reddy, M. Veerender, K. Venkatachalam, ed. Jainism: art, architecture, literature & philosophy. Religion / Jainism (in English and Tamil). Sharada Pub. House,. pp. 372 pages(page:142). ISBN 9788185616773.
5. "Musical Instruments - 2". Government Museum, Chennai, India. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
6. "Musical Instruments - 3". Government Museum, Chennai, India. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
7. "On the basics of conservation". The Hindu (India). 4 December 2009.
8. "Recreating treasures of the past". The Hindu (India). 26 December 2007.