Nadaswaram: India musical instrument

The nadaswaram or nagaswaram is one of the most popular classical musical instruments that are found in Tamil Nadu. The musical instrument is the world’s loudest non-brass acoustic musical instrument. The nadaswaram is a wind musical instrument that is analogous to the North Indian shehnai, though much longer, having a hardwood body and a large flaring bell that is manufactured of wood or metal.

source of picture: saraswatimata.com

In the south Indian Hindu culture, the musical instrument is said to be very auspicious. The musical instrument is the key musical instrument that is performed in almost all Hindu weddings and temples of the south Indian culture. The nadaswaram belongs to the family of musical instrument that are called mangala vadva. The musical instrument is often played in pairs and accompanied by a pair of drums that are known as thavil. The musical instrument can also be accompanied with a drone from an analogous musical instrument called ottu.

The musical instrument is made up of three parts namely, kuzhal, thimiru and anasu. The musical instrument is a double reed musical instrument with a conical bore that simultaneously enlarges toward the lower extreme. The top portion of the musical instrument has a metal staple into which a small metallic cylinder is inserted which carries the mouthpiece of the instrument which is manufactured of reed. Besides spare reeds, a thin ivory or horn needle is fixed to the musical instrument and used to clear the reed of the instrument of saliva and other debris and permits free passage of air through it. A metallic bell forms the bottom end of the musical instrument.

Originally, the body of the musical instrument is produced out of a tree known as ‘aacha’, but presently, the bamboo, sandal wood, copper, brass, ebony and ivory can also be used in the production of the musical instrument. For the wooden musical instrument, old wood is said to be the best for the production of the instrument, and sometimes wood salvaged from the destroyed old houses is used for the production.

The nadaswaram has 7 finger holes, and five additional holes are located at the bottom of the instrument which can be stopped with wax to modify the tone of the instrument. The musical instrument has a range of 2½octaves, analogous to the Indian bansuri flute that also has an analogous fingering. Unlike the flute where semi and quarter tone are manufactured by partial opening and closing of the instrument’s finger holes, in the nagaswaram, they are manufactured by regulating the pressure and strength of the air-flow into the pipe of the instrument. Because of the intense volume and strength of the instrument, the musical instrument is often used outdoors and much more suited for open space than indoor performances.

Some of the popular players of the musical instrument include Thiruvavadudurai Rajaratnam Pillai, Thiruvengadu Subramania Pillai, Thiruvenkadu Subramania Pillai and Thiruvidaimaruthur P. S. Veerusami Pillai, and the brother teams of the Keeranur, Thiruveezhimizhalai, and Semponnarkoil families.