Timila: India musical instrument

The timila is an hour-glass shaped percussion musical instrument that is used in Kerala, south India. The musical instrument is made of polished jack wood and the heads of the drum are manufactured of calfskin. The musical instrument is held together by leather braces that also twined round the waist of the drum. This mechanism assists in adjusting the tension and controlling the sound of the instrument, commonly two: ‘tha’ and ‘thom’. The drum is one of the constituting musical instruments in the Panchavadyam. The instrument also is a major percussion musical instrument that is used in sree-bali, sree-bhootha-bali and related temple rites.

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A panchavadyam performance is stated with the Timila Pattu and ends with the Timila Idachal thereby making the timila a very crucial component of the traditional kerala percussion group.

The musical instrument has the shape of two cones that are kept in opposite direction. The traditional size of the musical instrument made of heart wood or fully grown jackwood possesses the length of about 24.k virals, 6 virals at ends and 2.5 virals at the centre of the instrument, moreover having a thickness of ¾ viral. The tun is hollow. Later on, presumably for reducing the weight of the instrument, the measurements of the instruments are changed without much loss in symphony. According to the procedure of production, the tun of timila is produced of jack wood in the shape described above. Then the sides of the instrument are independently produced by using rings that is produced from climbers called vennil-valli or manja-valli. The circumference of the rings is somewhat more than that of the ends of the tun.  The refined leather that is extracted from the calf is appropriately cut and attached to these rings with the assistance of gum. The attaching of leather has to be done tightly as it regulates the symphony of the musical instrument. 6 holes of size 3/8 viral each is made on any of the sides and they are attached to the tun with the assistance of twined leather threads. The tension of the strings is very essential as it is closely associated with the symphony. For suspending the musical instrument at the shoulder of the player, a long cloth of about 9 feet length and at least about 6 inches width is used. In every respect, it is a great masterpiece of art as the musical instrument manufactures charming sounds.

The best players of this musical instrument in the contemporary days are: Kuzhoor Narayana Marar, Annamanada Parameswara Marar, Chandran Marar, Thrikkambaram Krishnankutty Marar, Karavattedath Narayana Marar, Koroth Ramakrishna Marar, Chottanikkara Vijayan, Nandappan, Ooramana Venu, Ooramana Rajan, Ooramana Aji, Kariyannur Narayanan Namboodiri, Kunissery Aniyan, Parakkattu Thankappan, Kongad Vijayan, Vaikom Chandran, Payyannur Balakrishna Marar, Kariyannur Narayanan Namboodiri,pallashana murali marar, Keezhillam Gopalakrishnan and Peruvanam Krishnakumar

Renowned player of the musical instrument in the 20^th century were; Annamanada Achutha Marar, Parameswara Marar, Peethambara Marar, Chengamad Sekhara Kurup, Porathuveettil Nanu Marar, Pallavur Maniyan Marar, Perumbilly Narayana Marar, Kesava Marar, Pallippat Narayana Marar, Chottanikkara Narayana Marar, Bahuleyan, Pazhur Damodara Marar, Pallavur Kunhukutta Marar and Makkoth Sankarankutty Marar.