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Home > Kerala Temples > Ritualistic Arts > Pancha Vaadya Pancha Vaadya Ritualistic Art in Kerala TemplesPancha Vaadya Ritualistic Art in Kerala TemplesAt the time of inception of pancha-vaadya system in Kerala five musical instruments viz. thimila, thoppi-maddalam, itayka, chengala and kurumkuzhal, besides sankh were used. Of course there were some regional variations to this also. In northern Kerala, itayka, chengala, chenta, sankh and maddalam were in vogue. In 1925 some of the artists (Thiruvilvamala Venkiteswara Iyer (known as Venkicchan) and Madhava Varier, Annamanada Achutha Marar, Parameswara Marar and Peethambara Marar jointly evolved a new scheme and systematized its procedures.Accordingly thimila, suddha-maddalam, itayka, ilatthaalam, and komb besides sankh were selected as the instruments for pancha-vaadyam, in addition to making some drastic changes in the timing and using of maddalam, changes in kaalam etc. The pancha-vaadya can have different types depending on number of instruments. The minimum requirement is 3 thimilas, one sudha-maddalam, 2 ilatthaalams, 2 kombs and one itayka besides a sankh. This proportion of instruments (except sankh) can be of higher order but slight adjustments are necessary to make the total number of instruments odd as given below.
Depending on number of instruments and personnel available slight changes are also made. The above distribution of instruments is more rigidly followed in central and northern Kerala compared to Southern-Kerala. The positioning of vaadyakkars (artists) in a mela is also important. The artists of thimila and suddha-maddalam have to face each other and there should be a gap of at least one and half metres in between them. The ilatthaalam artists take the position behind thimila-artists while komb artists stand behind suddha-maddala artists. Itayka-drummers have to face each other while the position of the blower of sankh is in the front row and close to one of the itayka artists. Pancha-vaadya commences with the blowing of sankh three times. At the middle of blowing of the sankh for the third time the beating of the thimila starts followed by other instruments in a definite sequence. The panchavaadya has four stages and the first stage has six kaalas followed by thriputa (28 akshara-kaala). The second stage has 14 akshara-kaala-thaalavattam, the third stage with 7 akshara-kaala-thaalavatta and the fourth stage with 3 1/2 akshara-kaala thaalavatta. It is an exhilarating experience to witness playing of a full complement of panchavaadyas, which is staged in Thrissur pooram festival. The cumulative sound effect produced by these instruments vibrates the whole atmosphere and it is really a great spectacle. There is a belief that those who are fortunate to participate and listen to the pancha-vaadya -performance on the Ashtami festival day at Vaikom Mahadeva temple will be freed from all sins. Even Devas are believed to attend this.
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