Centuries old music continues to play in temple

MADURAI: In 1635, Achrayar, one of theadvisors of Queen Rani Mangamma, built Nagagara Mandapam, just opposite to themain tower of the famous Sri Meenakshi Temple in this city. Hisobjective was to make a band play a special kind of music using (a giant drum), (a pipe instrument resemblingNagaswaram) and (Cymbal) toannounce the people the time ofthe temple.Now, after 368 years and 18 generations, the heirs of theBand, established by Achrayar, continue to play the special music between 0430hrs and 0500 hrs and 1630 hrs and 1700 hrs.According to Prakash andBalraj, who form the Band now, during the time of Queen Rani Mangamma, thedrumming was heard at Tammukkam, 2 kms from the city, where the Queen had herPalace. She would then leave for the after hearing the Music."The Music Band continues withouteven infinitesimal change. While other music forms had transformed our Bandremains the same after generations. The reason is we learnt it in our house fromour forefathers hearing to them whenever they were played", theysaid.Temple Executive Officer P.Baskaran adds "The effect of musicon the devotees after we linked the Band to the amplifiers yesterday is immense.It creates a sort of vibration. It is music for meditation". Inthose days when there was no noise pollution, the Music had been heard at very faraway places. "Now we are providing amplifiers so that it could be heard at leastaround the temple", the Executive Officer said."The uniqueness ofthe Band is that all the three instruments used in the Band are of Dravidianorigin, but the music has resemblance to Hindustani", Sundar, a musicologist,said."The Band has stood the test of time and will continue toenthral the people", he said.