Chenda

Chenda ( Malayalam ചെണ്ട, Chenda ), also centa, Cenda, is a cylindrical double- skin drum, which is used mainly in ceremonial Indian music at Hindu temple festivals in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The Chenda is closely related to the chande in the neighboring state of Karnataka.

Design

The one-piece body is made of a cylindrical stem portion of a jackfruit tree ( malayalam generally chakka, the appropriate variety with solid wood varikka - plavu ), which is hollowed out to a wall thickness of just 1.5 centimeters and the outside sanded smooth. The common Chenda is slightly larger than the Chande with a diameter of 25 centimeters, and is twice the length. On both sides of the drum is coated with cattle hides, which are braced by means of a V-shaped circumferential thick cotton string to another.

Manufacturing and construction are essentially the same chande. The Chenda is different from the chande by their differently shaped clamping ring to which the eardrums are tied. When karnatakischen chande any skin is pulled over an iron ring, which is not applied directly to the body. The drums are mounted in line, similarly to the other and idakka Sanduhrtrommeln somewhat laterally beyond the body. In Chande the existing wooden clamping ring is thicker and is available as a few centimeters in the longitudinal direction rim on the body. This results in a game technical difference: Certain light beats and rolls that are out flat, can absorb up to the edge as a pivot point at the chande occasionally serves a tight bound for the left beater on the edge of small wooden stick that purpose. The drum beats are loud and penetrating. To change the pitch, leather rings are placed, which are wrapped around two Bowstringers side.

After the region chendas differ in certain details from each other or have their own name depending on the use. The uruttu Chenda is the governing instrument and is used for variations and intermediate strokes, with the veekku Chenda the basic rhythms are played. In particular, to further distinguishes the Acchan Chenda Chenda of the muri.

Play

Usually only the upper membrane ( ethantala ) is beaten as the "left" side with two designated, at the ends slightly curved sticks, the bottom, the "right " membrane ( valanthala ) provides the necessary return, and serves as a tuned amplifier. The left side consists of a single air-dried animal skin, for the right side are six to seven skins superimposed and glued. Often used the drum player only a stick in his right hand for the main shock and adds embellishments added with the fingers of the left hand.

The Chenda is mostly played while standing. She hangs on a strap over the left shoulder with slightly forward inclined membrane at hip level so that both hands are free to beat them with sticks. In rare cases, the musician moves the drum in an almost horizontal position at the left hip, so he can beat both heads at the same time with the sticks. The seated on a chair with your knees players fixed the number at the bottom of the drum. With half foisted feet he brings the Chenda in a slightly inclined position so that the lower diaphragm to vibrate freely.

We distinguish six types of shock:

• Na is carried out with the pole tip at the edge of the eardrum, causing a hard, high-pitched sound is produced.
• When iein the player strikes with the curved part of the stick in his right hand near the center of the fur. The result is a about a sixth below na and dull -sounding tone.
• At the na - karan (also came ) the fingertips of your left hand hitting against the edge. The sound is similar to the well, but less sharp.
• His dull sounding correspondence is called Pottu. The open palm strikes here to the middle.

Use

The chande accompanied together with the barrel drum Maddale in Karnataka religious dance drama Yakshagana, for temple festivals and processions in Kerala, analog drum pairs Chenda Chenda and idakka or madhalam and in the foreground. Ceremonial music in Kerala is rhythm -oriented, it consists of various drums and idiophones and dispensed primarily on melodic instruments.

Similar to the idakka also the chande a religious significance to, it is considered asura vadyam, " demonic musical instrument ", in contrast to the zones identified by deva vadyam instruments that are associated with a deity. For this reason, it is usually only the left side beaten, the right side is special obsession rituals, such as the goddess Bhadrakali ( a form of Kali ) reserved. The jackfruit tree whose wood is used for construction has, in Kerala a magical significance in the Bhagavati cult ( worship of the goddess, such as the ritual drama Mutiyettu ) and communicating with the divine serpents of the underworld ( the nagayakshas and nagayakshis ) in conjunction.

Panchavadyam ( " five instruments ") is a ceremonial temple orchestra that occurs in different occupations during religious festivals years. In the usual formation among the five types of instruments not chendas, but the two hourglass-shaped drums idakka and Timila who doubt celled barrel drum madhalam (corresponds to the Maddale ), the bronze pair basin elathalam and the curved natural trumpet kombu. The orchestra Kriyanga Panchavadyam plays the obsession ritual Shri Bhuta bali, an invocation of Bhutas ( spirits ), five instruments in a different composition: the veekku Chenda, the hourglass Timila, a conch ( sankh ), small cymbals kaimani and the gong chengila or cher - galam, the latter is usually replaced today elathalam by the couple 's pool.

Tayampaka is a ritual ensemble, which consists of five Chenda drummers. Two of them hit on the left side, the other at different pitches on the right side. They are accompanied by one or two elathalams. After a start in the rhythmic structure adi tala tala variations across various speeds. As with many drum orchestras lasting over an hour, the piece ends in a wild crescendo.

At the temple festival ensemble Shinkari melam, also Chenda melam, play five chendas, it takes on a leadership role, three elathalams, a semi- circular curved trumpet kombu and the double reed instrument kuzhal ( kurum Kulal ) together with larger ensembles are a number Chenda player and several kombu - and kuzhal player opposite. The musicians play in roopakam and in other South Indian Talas different rates and always with great volume.

Pandi melam is a classical concert under the leadership of chendas and accompanied by elathalams, kuzhals and Kombus, which will be performed primarily outside of temples. The same four instruments playing in an ensemble Panchari melam within the temple grounds. The two most Panchari melam performances are held at the temple festival in March-April Shri Eddakunni Bhagavati temple in Ollur ( Thrissur District ) and Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple of Thrippunithura ( Ernakulam district ) in November-December.

Chendas are the main accompanying instruments in some religious dance and ritual theaters, including Kathakali, Teyyam, Kanyarkali and Ayyappan tiyatta.

The temple drums are played predominantly by members of the Musicians box Marar ( Maaran ) and Poduval. In the traditional education of young drummers, which occurs after a specified curriculum ( citta ) is the teacher ( asan ) is usually the father or another older relative. Chenda players are in most cases men because women in Kerala generally are considered ritually unclean and are not allowed to participate in high-caste temple rituals. When the drum orchestra Shinkari melam procession and women compete on. Known Chenda players are Thrippekkulam Achutha Marar (* 1925), Aliparamba Sivarama Poduval ( 1925-2006 ) and Kuttan Marar Peruvanam.