CHENNAI: The Margazhi season has kept the spirit of Chennai up and thriving for the last couple of weeks, thanks to the numerous kutcheris, cultural lecture demos, Sabha food and what not! But, with the city being recognised by the UNESCO as a Creative City for Music, the celebrations have reached a new high. Case in point is the novel attempt by the Department of Museums to curate a month-long exhibition — Iyal Isai Museum, where rare musical instruments and dance sculptures dating back to the Sangam Era to the present will be showcased.
“The moment I saw these exquisite instruments and dance sculptures in different galleries, I wanted to put them together to showcase our history. We wanted to give special focus to instruments and dance sculptures, as a way to acknowledge our recent feat — of being recognised by UNESCO,” shares Kavitha Ramu, director, Department of Museums.
Some of the instruments that will be showcased in the exhibition can be traced back to the Sangam era, while, some are from various dynasties from different parts of the world. For instance, the Burmese saung is about 1,500 years old. “Till the 1800s, this 13-16 stringed instrument was played in the courts of various Burmese dynasties and is the only ancient harp instrument still in use, all over Asia. The name Saung has been used in Pagan temples built during 11-13th Century,” she adds.
Another instrument, the ‘Mugaveenai’ is over 2,000 years old and was predominantly used in playing ‘old Tamil music’. It is said to be the precursor to Nadaswaram. “It is performed rarely in some parts of Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar and Madurai. It was once a common instrument played in Vaishnavite worship. Even today, it is played in Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple’s Tirukalyana Utsavam during Karpagambal procession,” explains the IAS officer. Swarabat, Kashtatarang, Swara Mandal, Sarangi, Nagara, Tuntuna, conch, Mayuri and Taapu will be some of the other instruments on display.
The dance sculptures from the Pallava and Chola periods will be showcased as well. A 650 CE bronze sculpture of Natesa from Kuram, Kancheepuram, a 10th century bronze Nataraja sculpture from Kunniyur, Thanjavur and a 15th century Chola, Navaneetha Krishna sculpture from Ulundangudi, Tiruchy, will be among the other sculptures on display.
“The Natesa idol dances on the back of Apasmaram (Muyalagan-dwarf) over a circular peedam on a rectangular pedestal which is broken. His two arms hold the damuru and fire cup, while the other two are in abhaya-hastha and gaja-hastha mudras. The left leg is raised and bent as in Urdhvajanu posture. The image is unique and may belong to the Pallava period,” she explains.
The Iyal Isai Museum will also have performances, lecture demonstrations, presentations, and panel discussions by artistes from popular folk and classical traditions. “The names haven’t been finalised yet and will be announced shortly,” she adds.
Mayuri
A 500-year-old Hindustani string instrument made out of wood and mental.
The instrument is in the shape of a peacock and called Taus (a Persian word for the bird) in North India. It is used in Punjab to recite Guru Granth Sahib songs called Shabad Keertan.
Mahishasuramardini
A 10th century Chola style bronze sculpture from Turaikkadu, Tiruvarur district has flame-like hair, with a crescent on the right side of the head. She has eight hands; top right shows Kataka mudra and holds a cobra. In the next pair, right is broken and left holds the shield, next two hands hold a broken bow and a bell; the lower most pair holds a dagger and a skull-cup. Interestingly, she has the third eye.
Panchamugavadyam
A Tamil temple music percussion instrument made out of bronze and animal skin and is 2,000 years old. It is a metal drum with five faces played only at Tiruvarur Thyagaraja Temple. The five faces of the drum represent the five faces of Siva — isanam, thatpurusham, agoaram, satyojatam and vamadevam. Each face has a distinct sound.
The exhibition will be inaugurated by K Pandiarajan, Minister for Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, on Jan 11 at 9 am in the Anthropology Galleries building at the Government Museum, Egmore. For details, mail: tnmuseumsdept@gmail.com or kavitaramu@gmail.com