Nadaswaram

{{Short description|Indian double reed wind instrument}} {{Redirect|Nadhaswaram|the Tamil TV series|Nadhaswaram (TV series){{!}}''Nadhaswaram'' (TV series)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox Instrument | name = Nadaswaram | image = File:A_Nadaswaram_with_seevali.JPG | image_capt = A nadasvaram with seevali | background = Double reed wind

| names = Nagasvaram | classification = Wind instruments }}

The '''''nadaswaram'''''{{Efn|Variously spelled as nadaswaram, nadhaswaram, nagaswaram (நாகசுரம் or நாகஸ்வரம்), nataswaram, and nathaswaram.|group=note}} (Tamil: நாதஸ்வரம்) (Malayalam: നാദസ്വരം) is a double reed wind instrument from Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite book |last=University |first=Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&dq=nadasvaram+ancient+tamil&pg=PA161 |title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils |date=2017-08-25 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-5381-0686-0 |pages=161 |language=en}}</ref> It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala<ref>{{Cite book |last=Venkatasubramanian |first=T. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pzurjfF3AE4C&dq=nadasvaram+music&pg=PA50 |title=Music as History in Tamilnadu |date=2010 |publisher=Primus Books |isbn=978-93-80607-06-1 |pages=50 |language=en}}</ref> and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

This instrument is "among the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instruments".<ref>{{cite news|title=Reality show India's Got Talent - Khoj 2 winners to sing for Obama|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/obama-visit/sidelines/story/reality-show-indias-got-talent-khoj-2-winners-to-sing-for-obama-84828-2010-10-30|access-date=9 January 2012|newspaper=India Today|date=31 October 2010}}</ref> It is a wind instrument partially similar to the North Indian ''shehnai,'' but much longer, with a hardwood body, and a large flaring bell made of wood or metal, and also with a double reed rather than a quadruple reed.

In South Indian culture, the nadasvaram is considered to be very auspicious, and it is a key musical instrument played in almost all Hindu weddings and temples of the South Indian tradition.<ref name="Isaac1967">{{cite book|author=Light Isaac|title=Theory of Indian music|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nNEHAQAAMAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1967|publisher=Printed at Shyam Printers|page=156}}</ref> It is part of the family of instruments known as ''mangala vadyam''<ref name="GhoseRamanathan1992">{{cite book|author1=Vijaya Ghose|author2=Jaya Ramanathan|author3=Renuka N. Khandekar|title=Tirtha, the treasury of Indian expressions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_v1tAAAAMAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1992|publisher=CMC Ltd.|isbn=978-81-900267-0-3|page=201}}</ref> (lit. ''mangala'' "auspicious", ''vadya'' "instrument"). The instrument is usually played in pairs, and accompanied by a pair of drums called ''thavil'';<ref name="Percussioner International Audio Magazine">{{cite book|title=Percussioner International Audio Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BskJAQAAMAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1984|publisher=Sal Sofia Industries, Inc.|page=38}}</ref> it can also be accompanied by a drone from a similar oboe, called the ottu.<ref name="Devi1990">{{cite book|author=Ragini Devi|title=Dance Dialects Of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KRz5ykKRVAEC&pg=PA222|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1990|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|isbn=978-81-208-0674-0|pages=222–}}</ref>

== History == [[Image:Nagaswaramplayers.jpg|thumb|right|320px|A typical ensemble of two ''nadaswaram'' and two ''thavil'']] The nadasvaram is referred to in many ancient Tamil texts, including inscriptions documenting Vijayanagara land grants (mid-1400s) and Achyuta Deva Raya inscriptions (c. 1530s); in these inscriptions the instrument's name is spelled ''nagaswaram'' or ''nakaswaram''. The 17th-century musical treatise ''Padasangraham'' (பாதசங்கிரகம்) also refers to an instrument called ''nagaswaram''. The ''Cilappatikaram'' epic (c. 5th century) mentions an instrument called the ''vangiyam'' (although this instrument was probably a transverse flute).{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} The structure of this instrument matches that of a nadasvaram.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} Since there are seven holes played with seven fingers, this was also called as the "eḻil". This instrument, too, is played in Tamil Nadu, and is popular among the Tamil diaspora.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Nayagam |first=Xavier S. Thani |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=58UgAAAAMAAJ&q=ezhil+instrument+tamil |title=Tamil Culture |date=1964 |publisher=Academy of Tamil Culture |pages=210 |language=en}}</ref>

== Construction == thumb|A young man plays the Nadaswaram.

The nadasvaram contains three parts namely, {{transliteration|ta|kuḻal}}, {{transliteration|ta|thimiru}}, and {{transliteration|ta|anasu}}.{{clarify|date=December 2012}}

It is a double reed instrument with a conical bore that gradually enlarges toward the lower end. The top portion has a metal staple ({{transliteration|ta|mel anaichu}}) into which is inserted a small metallic cylinder ({{transliteration|ta|kendai}}) which carries the mouthpiece made of reed. Besides spare reeds, a small ivory or horn needle is attached to the instrument, and used to clear the reed of saliva and other debris and allows free passage of air. A metallic bell ({{transliteration|ta|keeḻ anaichu}}) forms the bottom end of the instrument.

The ''seevali'', or reed, is made from a dried grass.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/a-simple-grass-that-brings-out-the-mellifluous-music-of-nagaswaram/article38000413.ece |title=A simple grass that brings out the mellifluous music of nagaswaram |newspaper=The Hindu |date=20 December 2021 |last1=Kolappan |first1=B. }}</ref>

Traditionally the body of the nadasvaram is made out of a tree called {{transliteration|ta|aacha}} (Tamil ஆச்சா; Hindi अंजन)'','' although nowadays bamboo, sandalwood, copper, brass, ebony, and ivory are also used. For wooden instruments, old wood is considered the best, and sometimes wood salvaged from demolished old houses is used.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aboutindianmusic.com/2011/11/indian-instruments-nadaswaram/ |title=Indian Instruments : Nadaswaram | Indian Music : Getting to know a little more about Indian music, musicians and instruments |publisher=aboutindianmusic.com |date=2011-11-22 |access-date=2012-01-09 |archive-date=23 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423020232/http://aboutindianmusic.com/2011/11/indian-instruments-nadaswaram/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The nadasvaram has seven finger-holes, and five additional holes drilled at the bottom that can be stopped with wax to modify the tone.<ref name="Gosvami1961">{{cite book|author=O. Gosvami|title=The story of Indian music: its growth and synthesis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wEssAAAAYAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|date=1 January 1961|publisher=Scholarly Press|isbn=978-0-403-01567-2|page=156}}</ref> The nadasvaram has a range of two and a half octaves, similar to the Indian bansuri flute, which also has a similar fingering. Unlike the flute where semi and quarter tones are produced by the partial opening and closing of the finger holes, in the nadasvaram they are produced by adjusting the pressure and strength of the air-flow into the pipe. Due to its intense volume and strength, it is largely an outdoor instrument and much more suited for open spaces than for indoor concerts.

== Players == <!-- ATTENTION, DO NOT ADD NAMES TO THIS LIST UNLESS THEY EITHER HAVE AN EXISTING WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE RECOGNISING THEM AS A NADASWARAM PLAYER, OR YOU PROVIDE A FOOTNOTE CLEARLY STATING THEY ARE A SIGNIFICANT PLAYER. ADD NAMES _AFTER_ THE CURRENT FOOTNOTE, LEST THEY BE MISTAKEN AS BEING INCLUDED IN THE FOOTNOTE TO ''THE HINDU''.

ON 25 DEC 2012 I REMOVED A NUMBER OF UNCITED NAMES. Also done in January 2025 by Drew Stanley --> Some of the greatest early nadasvaram players include: * T.N. Rajarathnam Pillai (1898–1956) * Karukurichi Arunachalam (1921–1964) * Thiruvizha Jayashankar (b. 1940) * Semponnarkoil Brothers S R G Sambandam and Rajanna. * Dharumapuram S. Abiramisundaram Pillai and his son Dharumapuram A Govindarajan<ref>Andankoil AV Selvarathnam Pillai {{cite web |author=B. Kolappan |date=2010-12-15 |title=Arts / Music : An art that's still awaiting its due |url=http://www.thehindu.com/arts/music/article952680.ece |access-date=2012-01-09 |work=The Hindu}}</ref> * 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 such as Lewis Spratlan<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sampath |first=Revathi |journal=India Currents |date=16 March 2008 |access-date=2015-04-08 |url=http://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2008/03/16/nadaswaram |title=Nadaswaram |archive-date=26 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326113705/https://www.indiacurrents.com/articles/2008/03/16/nadaswaram |url-status=dead }}</ref>  have expressed admiration for the nadasvaram, and a few jazz musicians have taken up the instrument: Charlie Mariano (1923–2009) was one of the few non-South Asians to play the instrument,<ref name="CarrFairweather2004">{{cite book |author1=Ian Carr |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Jazz/GqOzQgAACAAJ?hl=en |title=Jazz: The Essential Companion to Artists and Albums |author2=Digby Fairweather |author3=Brian Priestley |publisher=Rough Guides |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-84353-256-9 |pages=99– |access-date=25 December 2012}}</ref> having studied it while living in India. Vinny Golia, J. D. Parran, and William Parker have performed and recorded with the instrument.<ref>{{cite news|title=The William Parker Sessionography|url=http://www.bb10k.com/PARKER.disc.html|year=2014}}</ref> The German saxophonist Roland Schaeffer also plays it,<ref name="Saxophone Journal">{{cite book|title=Saxophone Journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n5MJAQAAMAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1988|publisher=Dorn Publications|page=46}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=December 2012}} having studied from 1981 to 1985 with Karupaia Pillai.

== In popular culture == Among the Tamil movies, two released in the 1960s, namely ''Konjum Salangai''(1962) starring Gemini Ganesan and ''Thillana Mohanambal''(1968) starring Sivaji Ganesan, featured nadasvaram playing characters. For the ''Konjum Salankai'' movie, Karukurichi Arunasalam Pillai provided the nadasvaram music. Madurai Sethuraman and Ponnusamy brothers were employed for the nadasvaram playing duo characters Sivaji Ganesan and A.V.M. Rajan for the ''Thillana Mohanambal'' movie director AP Nagarajan dedicated this movie to legend Karukurichi Arunachalam.

==See also== {{Portal|India|Music}} * Tavil * Stone nadasvaram

==References== {{NoteFoot}} {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/India/1191Nagaswaram/OttuNagaswaram.html ''Images from The Beede Gallery Shawms (Ottu and Nagaswaram), Southern India, ca. 1900-1940''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304023451/http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/India/1191Nagaswaram/OttuNagaswaram.html |date=4 March 2016 }}. National Music Museum, University of South Dakota.

Category:Carnatic music instruments Category:Single oboes with conical bore Category:Indian musical instruments