Madhalam
Encyclopedia
The maddalam or madhalam is a drum
made out of the wood of the jackfruit
tree. It has two sides for playing, made out of leather
, and has different kind of sounds on each side. The maddalam is a heavy instrument which is hung around the waist of the person playing, and the player stands all the while to perform.
The maddalam is a vital instrument in traditional Kerala
percussion ensembles like Panchavadyam
, Keli
and Kathakali
orchestra.
Maddalam is considered as a DevaVadyam as it resembles Lord Shiva and Lord Parvathi by its sound. It is believed that, Maddalam by its structure, really resembles the "ShivaSakthi" swaroopa, in which the right hand side of the Maddalam resembles Shiva and the left hand side resembles Parvathi. A detailed study on evolution, history, construction, maintenance, and present day Maddalam, can be seen in the one and only one literature on Maddalam done by Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
in his book "Maddalam Enna MangalaVadyam".
, famous maddalam maestro has published a book on Maddalam, "Maddalam Enna Mangala Vaadyam" in 2003 with the help of Kerala Kalamandalam
. This is the only comprehensive guide to the playing and understanding of this instrument. Also, maddalam finds prominent mention in a book "Thaalangal, Thaalavadyangal" by A.S.N. Nambisan.
, Sadanam Ramachandran, Kallekkulangara Krishna Varrier, Thrippalamunda Nataraja Varrier, Odakkali Sankaramani Marar, Chottanikkara Surendran, Kongad Sukumaran, Eravath Appu Marar, Kalamandalam Sasi, Eloor Arun Deva Warrier, Peruvanam Haridas, Panangattukara Prakasan and Sadanam Bharatharajan. Kathakali has its maddalam maestros like Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambisan, Kalanilayam Eachara Varrier, Kalanilayam Babu, Kottakkal Ravi, Kalamandalam Ramadas, Kalamandalam Gopikuttan, Sadanam Sreedharan, Sadanam Rajan and Sadanam Devadas among others.
Noted maddalam exponents of yore include Thiruvillwamala Venkichan Swami, Vellattanhoor Raman Nambisan, Punnathur Madhavan Nair, Kadavallur Sankunni Nair, Aravindakshan, Kavungal Maniyan Panikkar, Kachamkurichi Achuthan Nair,Mancheri Raman Nair,kalloor Chather Panicker and Pulamanthol Gopalakrishnan. In Kathakali maddalam, Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval
was a noted artiste.
Among the Kathakali Maddalam artists Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
is an acclaimed percussionist (Kathakali, Maddalam), who has contributed greatly to the world of Indian Arts and Culture. Sankara Warrier has given the maddalam a new dimension. His excellence has known no cultural or regional boundaries. Apart from performing in India, he has traveled extensively and performed in USA, UK, etc., thus contributing significantly in putting the Maddalam on the global map.
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
made out of the wood of the jackfruit
Jackfruit
The jackfruit is a species of tree in the Artocarpus genus of the mulberry family . It is native to parts of Southern and Southeast Asia. It is the national fruit of Bangladesh, . The jackfruit tree is believed to be indigenous to the southwestern rain forests of India...
tree. It has two sides for playing, made out of leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
, and has different kind of sounds on each side. The maddalam is a heavy instrument which is hung around the waist of the person playing, and the player stands all the while to perform.
The maddalam is a vital instrument in traditional Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
percussion ensembles like Panchavadyam
Panchavadyam
Panchavadyam, literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four -- timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka -- belong to the percussion category, while the fifth one, kombu, is a wind instrument.Much like any...
, Keli
KELI
KELI or Keli may refer to:*KELI , a radio station licensed to San Angelo, Texas, United States*Kelli , Greece, a former village*Keli , a 1991 Indian Malayalam drama film directed by Bharathan...
and Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
orchestra.
Maddalam is considered as a DevaVadyam as it resembles Lord Shiva and Lord Parvathi by its sound. It is believed that, Maddalam by its structure, really resembles the "ShivaSakthi" swaroopa, in which the right hand side of the Maddalam resembles Shiva and the left hand side resembles Parvathi. A detailed study on evolution, history, construction, maintenance, and present day Maddalam, can be seen in the one and only one literature on Maddalam done by Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...
in his book "Maddalam Enna MangalaVadyam".
Literature on Maddalam
Kalamandalam Sankara WarrierKalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...
, famous maddalam maestro has published a book on Maddalam, "Maddalam Enna Mangala Vaadyam" in 2003 with the help of Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam
Kerala Kalamandalam , lately renamed as Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture, is a major centre for learning Indian performing arts, especially those that developed in the southern state of India, with the special emphasis on Kerala. It is situated in the village of Cheruthuruthy in...
. This is the only comprehensive guide to the playing and understanding of this instrument. Also, maddalam finds prominent mention in a book "Thaalangal, Thaalavadyangal" by A.S.N. Nambisan.
Masters of Maddalam
Prominent among today's maddalam exponents (in Panchavadyam) are Thrikkur Rajan, Cherpulassery Sivan, Thichur Vasu Varrier, Edappal Appunni Nair, Kunisseri Chandran, Chirakkala Sankara Marar, Pulappatta Balakrishnan (Kundalassery Thankamani), Kalamandalam Sankara WarrierKalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...
, Sadanam Ramachandran, Kallekkulangara Krishna Varrier, Thrippalamunda Nataraja Varrier, Odakkali Sankaramani Marar, Chottanikkara Surendran, Kongad Sukumaran, Eravath Appu Marar, Kalamandalam Sasi, Eloor Arun Deva Warrier, Peruvanam Haridas, Panangattukara Prakasan and Sadanam Bharatharajan. Kathakali has its maddalam maestros like Kalamandalam Narayanan Nambisan, Kalanilayam Eachara Varrier, Kalanilayam Babu, Kottakkal Ravi, Kalamandalam Ramadas, Kalamandalam Gopikuttan, Sadanam Sreedharan, Sadanam Rajan and Sadanam Devadas among others.
Noted maddalam exponents of yore include Thiruvillwamala Venkichan Swami, Vellattanhoor Raman Nambisan, Punnathur Madhavan Nair, Kadavallur Sankunni Nair, Aravindakshan, Kavungal Maniyan Panikkar, Kachamkurichi Achuthan Nair,Mancheri Raman Nair,kalloor Chather Panicker and Pulamanthol Gopalakrishnan. In Kathakali maddalam, Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval
Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval
Kalamandalam Appukutty Poduval was a maddalam maestro who rose to prominence by his aesthetically pleasing taps on the instrument—a vital percussion accompaniment for Kathakali, the classical dance-drama from Kerala in south India...
was a noted artiste.
Among the Kathakali Maddalam artists Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier
Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...
is an acclaimed percussionist (Kathakali, Maddalam), who has contributed greatly to the world of Indian Arts and Culture. Sankara Warrier has given the maddalam a new dimension. His excellence has known no cultural or regional boundaries. Apart from performing in India, he has traveled extensively and performed in USA, UK, etc., thus contributing significantly in putting the Maddalam on the global map.
See also
- Pandi MelamPandi MelamPandi melam is a classical percussion concert or melam led by the ethnic Kerala instrument called the chenda and accompanied by ilathalam , kuzhal and Kombu....
- Panchari melamPanchari melamPanchari Melam is a percussion ensemble, canonically lasting more than four hours, performed during temple festivals in Kerala, India. Panchari Melam , is one of the major forms of chenda melam , and is the best-known and most popular kshetram vadyam genre...
- ThayambakaThayambakaThayambaka or tayambaka is a type of solo chenda performance that developed in the south Indian state of Kerala, in which the main player at the centre improvises rhythmically on the beats of half-a-dozen or a few more chenda and ilathalam players around.A thayambaka performance on the chenda has...
- PanchavadyamPanchavadyamPanchavadyam, literally meaning an orchestra of five instruments, is basically a temple art form that has evolved in Kerala. Of the five instruments, four -- timila, maddalam, ilathalam and idakka -- belong to the percussion category, while the fifth one, kombu, is a wind instrument.Much like any...
- Maddalam and Chenda KeliMaddalam and Chenda Keli-Keli:Keli is a ritualistic south Indian percussion concert involving two Kerala drums called the chenda and the maddalam besides the ethnic cymbal known as ilathalam and chengila , which typically lasts for some 20 minutes got a pyramid structure. It is usually staged in the night in temple...
- Kalamandalam Sankara WarrierKalamandalam Sankara WarrierKalamandalam Sankara Warrier is an acclaimed Indian percussionist of the Kerala ethnic drum called maddalam, and has specialised in its playing for the dance-drama of Kathakali.-Personal life:...