The art of Bhanda Vadya

 

The art and music of India are rich. And some intriguing instruments one should know! Today we introduce you to Ghatam, an instrument that is also a pot!

 

1) Bhanda vadya was an ancient Indian word for clay drums. They have round bodies. Bhand means vessel or pot. Examples can be found in the Ramayana and Jataka.

 

2) The instrument appears in the sculptures of various temples. Dardur has a sphere-like shape.

 

3) It had a hide-covered mouth, which was tied shut with a jute string. The player used both hands to play. When different parts of the palm and fingers were placed on the mouth, they produced different sounds.

 

4) As time progressed, its importance diminished, and the name was also changed from dardur to Ghatam.

 

5)  The Ghatam is composed of the five elements of nature, i.e. earth, water, fire, air, and space

 

6) Clay Ghatams with iron fillings are made of clay. Clay is also mixed with silver, gold, and aluminium particles to give the instrument a sweet, resonant tone.

 

7) To suit the different genres of music, the instrument comes in various types. A performance’s adhara sruti is usually the sruti of the instrument. When the sruti is taken into consideration, the quality of the performance is greatly enhanced.

8) The first person to develop the instrument as an accompaniment was probably Vidwan Chidambara Lyer of Polagam. His career spanned half a century from the mid-1800s.

 

9) The Ghatam has recently become famous in international concert halls, fusion concerts, percussion ensembles, and other experimental ventures, thanks to the ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakram.

 

It was all about Ghatam that is a marvellous instrument. Comment down below the other you would like to know about!