CHENNAI: Famed for its temple festivals, Madurai town boasts quite a few folklore artists and musicians. With another Chithirai festival enveloping the temple town in euphoria now, TNIE met with Kumaravel aka Kombukaran of Amandhurpatti village near Kallandhiri, who plays the traditional Kombu (wind instrument).
Kumaravel would fill the streets with ritualistic music when the Velliyankundram Zamindar arrives at the Kallalagar temple for commencing the Kallalagar procession as part of the Chithirai festival. He is also among a handful of people who create handmade decorative items for devotees who take part in the procession, and materials for folk art performances, including Mazhil Attam, Madu Attam, Puliyattam, Poikkal Kuthirai and Karagam. Along with his son, Kumaravel also performs Thappattam.
His family has a lot riding on Chithirai festival every year. They have to earn a handsome amount in the next two weeks, as the profit must more or less sustain them till the next festival. The family bides in a small tile-roofed structure comprising two rooms, one of which is filled with handmade articles and musical instruments.
“For centuries, our family has been playing the Kombu musical instrument at Kallalagar temple. A couple of years ago, we started a Thappattam band to eking out a living. We are famous for making Thiruvachi (massive decorations that adorn devotees’ heads) and Kizhi, used during the Kallalagar procession,” Kumaravel said. The family makes floral headpieces worn by Karakattam dancers,” Kumaravel added.
His son Dheena possesses a hotel management degree but forwent the career to take up his family traditions of Thappattam and folklore art. Not every year, the family received enough income to sustain the traditional livelihood. “Even when times were bad, we did not take up farmwork or any other labour. We wholeheartedly stick to these traditional practices and believe it’s our calling to do so."
"There was a time when I had given up playing the Kombu as we could not afford to buy the instrument material. However, I took a loan of `9,000 and purchased the instrument. When I play it in front of Velliyankundram Zamindar in recent years, I truly feel like I belong to the Kombukaran family. My dream is to buy all the instruments my ancestors used to play, including Thavil and Urumi, during their times,” he said.