BENGALURU: Music plays an important role in the cultural reference of the Indian subcontinent. So much so, every occasion has a specific type of music attributed to it. In South India, parai – a traditional drum that is about 35 cm – is often mistakenly associated with a set of taboos. At a workshop on August 26, at the Bangalore Creative Circus, facilitator Keela Naren will share the history and stories around this musical instrument.
A commonly-seen instrument in South India, the parai comes with its own set of taboos. According to Harshini Boyalla, who is a part of Adavi Art Collective, the instrument is played during a death ceremony, or, in the past, has been associated with certain communities, which has led to inhibitions. “A lot of politics surround the instrument. A kid can easily pick up a guitar, whereas, access to this instrument is not that easy,” explains Boyalla, who is also learning the instrument. She further adds, “For me, it is a beautiful instrument but people tend to bring the caste element into it. Also, it is made of buffalo skin, which is again a taboo.”
The workshop will be conducted by Naren, who hails from a community that is known for playing the instrument. “It is an instrument with a great history. It is referred to as the mother of all percussion instruments. Before people started bringing the caste element into the equation, it was just a plain musical instrument that was played by everyone,” he says.
Naren also points out that people often incorrectly associate the instrument with a death ceremony. “In Tamil literature, there are many references to the parai, where it is said that the instrument is played on different occasions, from birth to death. It holds a very important reference during death because traditionally there were no medical procedures to confirm the death. So people used to play parai music loudly and if the person still did not wake up, they would declare the person dead,” he explains.
With changing times, Naren is also working towards breaking these taboos. “I conduct many parai workshops where I share the actual stories and history behind it, and people, especially the younger generation, are accepting of it. I have also played the instrument at various auspicious occasions like housewarming and wedding ceremonies. I conduct workshops in Hosur and get a number of participants from Bengaluru,” he concludes.