How is the mridangam tuned?

Day 11 of The Music Academy Morning Academic Conferences 2024 began with a prayer by students of the Advanced School of Carnatic Music followed by a lecture-demonstration by vidwan Tiruvarur Bhaktavatsalam and Valangaiman Navaneetha Krishnan on ‘A Tuned Mridangam’.

Bhaktavatsalam described the mridangam as a percussion instrument crafted from seasoned jackwood, coconut wood or ‘Kodukka kattai’, with cow, goat or buffalo skin used for the ‘valantharai’ (right side) and buffalo or goat skin used for the ‘thoppi’ (left side). The older the hide and wood, the  better the tonal quality. He emphasised how external factors such as light, humidity, air conditioning and weather affect tuning the sruti. While hot temperatures are manageable, cooler temperatures can untune or dissonate the instrument and can even cause odour. 

On a lighter note, Bhakthavatsalam  shared an anecdote about Thanjavur Upendran, who carried almost 10 mridangams to concerts to tackle these issues. 

Mridangams vary in length and construction.  ‘Daggu’ mridangams measure 24 inches, ‘Sthayi’ mridangams 22 inches, and others 18 inches.The mridangams are classified into ‘Kuchi’ and ‘Kappi’ depending on the granules of stones put between the membranes. Bhaktavatsalam explained that the thoppi is tuned to the ‘ati mandhra sthyai shadjam’ (lower tonic) and the valantharai to the ‘Madhya sthyai shadjam’ (upper tonic), ensuring all 16 ‘Kannus’ (tuning points) resonate with the sruti.

Navaneetha Krishnan elaborated on the ‘Sadam’, the circular black portion on the valantharai, made of iron granules and rice. Adjusting the sadam — scratching it to lower the ‘meetu’ or adding layers to raise it — requires precision. 

Mridangist Sumesh Narayanan added that a drop of water is often spread to the size of a coin to scrape the sadam gently without causing cracks.

Bhaktavatsalam shared insights from his gurukulavasam, and his presence of mind in cutting the vaaru to adjust the ‘Echhu kannu’ (high-pitched kannu) in a rare case of emergency during a concert trip where his mridangam initially tuned to F# increased to #G due to temperature differences. He credited vidwan T.V. Gopalakrishnan for suggesting mridangam sizes for different shrutis, such as Daggu Mridangams 25 inches in length and 7 to 8 inches Vaay (diameter of the valantharai) for bass pitches like A# and Sthayi Mridangams of 25 inches length with 6.5 inches Vaay for higher pitches.

Modern challenges in mridangam maintenance include declining cow skin quality and as well as using plastic fermit instead of ‘Seerutti’ rava paste for the thoppi. However, there is a significant difference in the tonal quality. In colder weather conditions, the wood expands, making the thoppi inflexible. This is mitigated by applying castor oil and further maintenance by the mridangam makers.

During the Q&A session, mridangam maestro Trichy Sankaran highlighted how electronic tamburas that do not have harmonic frequencies as compared to traditional tamburas affect the tuning of the mridangam and placed a question to vidwan Patri Satish Kumar as to how to handle Meetu Chapu differences in nut and bolt mridangams, to which latter mentioned that many artistes carry separate mootus for different srutis. Trichy Sankaran also mentioned  an old practice of Tani Avartanams being played only with the ‘Sarani’ and ‘Anusarani’ strings on the tambura. 

Sangita Kalanidhi-designate T.M. Krishna concluded by emphasising how difficult it is for mridangists to manage their instrument parallelly while enhancing the music created on stage. He mentioned how ‘Kalasal’ affects the tonality of every stroke played and how the technique of playing must be altered accordingly, including rotating the mridangam to find the pitch-perfect ‘kannu’. He also shared his research findings on ‘Kiittankallu’ (sadam), which contains ferric and ferrous elements and that the Thada stone also contains a layer of quartz. He celebrated the artistry of mridangam makers, who are the first to experience the instrument’s sound, underscoring the deep interplay of art, science, and tradition in crafting this revered instrument.

Carnatic music in Tamil cinema

The second session of Day 11, titled ‘70mm: A Cinematic Identity’, explored the seamless interplay between Carnatic music and Tamil cinema. Presented by Subhasree Thanikachalam, with demonstrations by Santosh S and Vigneshwar VG, the lecture delved into how ragas have influenced and shaped film music over the decades.

Subhasree began by emphasising that while film songs are often based on Carnatic ragas, they frequently deviate slightly from strict classical frameworks, offering cinematic liberties to evoke desired emotions. Tracing the history of music in Tamil cinema, she mentioned Kalidas, which featured nearly 50 songs in a Broadway-style format. T.P. Rajalakshmi, a pioneer as both playback singer and actress, established herself in this domain.

The session highlighted legendary composer Papanasam Sivan’s significant contribution to cinema as Carnatic elements found their way into films. His collaboration with the iconic G. Ramanathan brought a game-changing movement in film music. Vigneshwar demonstrated this evolution on the keyboard by playing the prelude of ‘Vadaname chandra bimbamu’ by M.K.T. Bhagavathar, which incorporated western shades while staying rooted in Sindhubhairavi. Similarly, great composers such as  C. Ramachandra introduced vibratos and jazz elements, as exemplified in ‘Kannum kalandhu’. The famous C.R. Subburaman’s Chandirani was credited with introducing the Hawaiian guitar, a sound that captivated audiences.

Discussing stalwarts such as  M.S. Viswanathan and T.K. Ramamurthy, Subhasree explained how their melodies resonated deeply with audiences. Panam featured simpler tunes, such as ‘Varugiral Unnai Thedi’ based on raga Atana, showcasing string orchestration. The renowned K.V. Mahadevan, though a disciplinarian in raga grammar, occasionally embraced cinematic liberties, as seen in ‘Unnai kaanadha kannum kannalla’ (based on Mohanam), where chords brought unique colours to the composition.

Maestro Ilaiyaraaja’s genius was underscored through his innovative use of rare ragas and graha bhedam, where shifts in tonal centers allowed seamless transitions between ragas. Examples included ‘Sangeethame’ (Rasikapriya to Mayamalavagowlai) and ‘Raathiriyil poothirukkum’ (Hamsanandi), where even challenges in vocal lines were resolved musically. 

K.V. Mahadevan’s songs such as ‘Paatum naane’ (Gowrimanohari) and ‘Partha vizhi’ (Pavani) illustrated his ability to weave Carnatic nuances into the storyline.

A.R. Rahman’s compositions, including ‘Nila kaigiradhu’ and ‘Swasame’, drew from ragas such as  Kalyani and Behag. Popular director and executive committee member of The Music Academy Rajiv Menon shared how Unnikrishnan’s ‘Janero’ inspired Rahman’s ‘Uyirum neeye’.

In his summary, T.M. Krishna reflected on the dynamic aesthetic principles of Indian cinema. He questioned whether orchestrating ragas alters their essence, leaving the audience with a thought-provoking musicological dilemma. Ultimately, the session celebrated cinema’s power to democratise Carnatic music, bringing its beauty to millions while embracing creative freedom.

Published – January 01, 2025 04:07 pm IST