music, art & dance

 art

The famous arts and crafts of Tamil Nadu, in its earlier stages was highly influenced by the temple economy that prevailed for a long time in this part of the country. These rich temples of the region were like budding ground for the craftsmen who used get constant construction work in these temples and helping them to regularly upgrade their knowledge and experience.


¤ Famous Paintings of Tanjore

The well-known Tanjore paintings are the most important handicrafts of Tamil Nadu. These paintings are painted on wood, glass, mica, ivory and on walls, are defined by the use of thin sheet of gold along with primary colors, stylized modeling effects by shading the inside of the contours. Jewels, drapery and architectural elements like finely executed pillars, rich canopies, garlands of ropes and chandeliers are slightly raised by the use of special plaster, covered with pure gold leaf and embedded with semi-precious stone of different colors. Painting on ivory, mica, and the more difficult genre of glass paintings, were all introduced in the 18th century. Whereas the religious paintings are highly decorative and flat, the paintings of the women are highly conventionalized with an element of reality infused in the portraits.


¤ The Craft of Making Musical Instruments

Music and dance played an important role in the life of Tamil Nadu. Thus, the making of musical instruments became a major craft, here. Most of the centers for this craft are situated around Thanjavur, which is also the hometown of many famous musicians of the country.
According to the Tamil classic, the Silappadikaaram, there's an ancient Tamil instrument, the wooden Yaazh in the shape of boats, fishes, and crocodiles, which is similar to the harp or lute. This instrument has been replaced by the more versatile Veena, made of Jackwood. The various parts of this instrument are, the kudam (pot), top plank, neck and yaali. These are first assembled and a mixture of honey wax and black powder is applied to the top plank. Then it is further processed for completion. In Thanjavur, there are families that are into the trade of manufacturing Veenas for generations. Other musical instruments are the Thamburas with their wooden bases, the flute or kuzhal-a wind instrument associated with Lord Krishna. It is popularly known as Vangiyam, made of bamboo, sandalwood, bronze, sengaali and karungaali woods.


¤ The Art of Creating Jewelery

Just like other parts of the country, Tamil Nadu has its own traditional jewellery-especially the stone-encrusted jewelery, which reached its peak here. The ornaments, which are popular here are the oddiyaanam (gold waist belt), vanki (armlet) and jimiki (eardrop), which are traditionally crafted and finished with great dexterity. The jimiki is a bell-shaped ear jewel set in colored stones with pearls hanging at the lower end, and hangs from the lotus shaped kammal of diamonds or rubies worn on the lower lobe of the ear. Other beautiful jewel that Tamil women wear are maattal, adigai, maangaamaalai, thaali or mangalasuthra, kaasumaalai, puduchcheri golusu, Gajja golusu.


¤ Metalware in Tamil Nadu

The famous brass and copper metalware has a rich and ancient tradition in Tamil Nadu. These metal objects are used for both religious and secular purposes, though utility is a primary consideration. The deepam or lamp are regarded as a symbol of Agni, which is auspicious and is the best known of the State's metalware. There is a good variety of lamps that includes standing lamps, aarathi (votive lamps), deepalakshmis, hand lamps and chain lamps. Patterned trays and shallow dishes in circular, hexagonal, octagonal and oval shapes are widely used in Tamil Nadu and are made out of bronze or sheet brass. The popular Thanjavur plates feature designs of deities, birds, flowers, and geometric patterns beaten out from the back of copper and silver sheets and subsequently encrusted on a brass tray, kudam or panchpaathra. Metal toys include models of horses, cows or elephants are made chiefly of brass. A whole range of attractively polished and finished utensils of utilitarian value are also made.


¤ Pottery

The famous art of pottery has been practiced here from ancient times, which is expressed in the manufacture of the famous Ayyannar horses. The horses are said to protect each village from evil. The large terracotta horses are made in Salem and Pudukottai. The horses were originally made and fired individually. But with increasing popularity of terracotta art items, the moulds began to be put into use.


¤ Woodcraft

Tamil Nadu's artistically created basketry and fiber products is in demand both in India and abroad. While palm has become a major source of raw material for basketry and related products, bamboo, cane, grasses, reeds and fibres are also used in making baskets, ropes, mats and many other items. The main centers of these crafts are to be found in Dharampuri, Salem, Coimbatore, South Arcot and Tiruchirapalli districts.


¤ Stone Carving

Stone carving have reached a high degree of excellence in this southern state very early in history. Today, granite carving is confined to the areas around Mamallapuram and Chingleput. The famous sculptors here belong to the Vishwakarma or Kammaalar community. A subsidiary form of carving is soapstone or maakal carving, found in the region between Pondicherry and Cuddalore and around Salem.

 dance

Tamilnadu had developed the art of entertainment to its pristine heights at a very early age. The three modes of entertainment are classified as Iyal (Literature), Isai (Music) and Nadagam (Drama) had their roots in the rural folk theatre. Many forms of group and individual dances with the folk forms are yet popular now and have sheer entertainment value. These dances have survived through many centuries of Indian History and have provided continuity to the Indian tradition that is not stagnant, as it is constantly adapting itself to new conditions and assimilating influences. The more celebrated forms of village folk dances are as follows:

Karagam

Karagam is a most popular folk dance form of Tamil Nadu . The villagers perform this dance in praise of the rain goddess "Mari Amman" and the river goddess "Gangai Amman" as a part of their custom. In this dance, the performers balance the water pot on their head very beautifully.

Kolaattam

Kolaattam is a folk dance , very much famous in all parts of Tamil Nadu. This dance is performed by the help of sticks. A festival connected with Kolaattam has both a cultural and a religious significance.

Kavadi Aattam

While visiting any pilgrimage or any such holy place, ancient Tamilians, used to carry the offerings to the gods. This used to be tied to the either end of the long stick usually made up of bamboo and then balanced on their shoulders. This was created to lessen the boredom of the long travels; kavadi Aattam hence, has its origin in this context. Many special songs were created to sing while carrying the Kavadi Sindhu. Only the men perform it, since only they can hold the Kavadi. Sometimes it is also done by balancing a pole with pots fixed on either end of stick, filled with milk or coconut water.

Generally, the materials used for preparing the poles are Purasai or Teakwood. At topside of the Kavadi, bamboo strips are bent like a half-moon, covered with saffron cloth and further decorated on the sides with peacock feathers. This is mainly a religious dance, performed in worship of Tamil Lord "Muruga", who is the second son of Shiva. Pambai and Naiyandi Melam accompany the dance.

Bhagavatha Mela

The Bhagavatha Mela is very much famous in tamil Nadu. It is full of dramatic interest that is enhanced by using classical music and dance. it is originated from the Thanjavur district. Kuravanji

Kuravanji is a type of dance-drama distinctive to the Tamils. As performed for an entertaining objective, whose emphasis is balanced between the classical & traditional one.

Nondi Natakam

The word "Nondi" means, the one who limps and "Natakam" means play. Thus, a play performed by a character, keeping one leg folded at the back, is Nondi Natakam. This form originated during the late 17th or early 18th century in Tamil Nadu state itself. The play is a descriptive one and it is developed around two themes- devotion and forgiveness, as experienced by a one-legged thief. As a course of dance, he narrates his tale- as a thief in love with an unethical courtesan, the final redemption through devotion to God and the healing of his physical afflictions. This drama is also known as Ottraikkaal in some part of Tamil Naidu.

Pavai Koothu

Pavai Koothu is considered as a form of early year`s puppet shows. Some called it as a glove puppet theatre of the 16th century. "Pavai" means woman, "Koothu" means play. The name is quite appropriate to its theme, as all the stories concern with the feelings of Vali, one of Lord Shiva`s attendants, for Subramanya, who is one of Shiva`s sons. This performance uses papier-mache puppets. These puppets are generally one foot tall in height and wear paper or coconut -fiber garlands. A single person to work as manipulator is required to monitor the show. His thumb and little finger move the puppet`s arms, whereas, his middle finger works for the head. The language of the show is mostly Tamil, and the songs are predominantly folk in nature. The idakka drum and cymbals are used for music of the performance.

Kai Silambu Aattam Dance This dance is performed in temples during the time of Amman festivals or Navaratri festival. The dance is in praise of all the female deities, the most preferred being the powerful angry goddess also known as Shakti -Kali or Durga. The dancers wear ankle-bells and hold anklets or Silambu in their hands. It was due to this ornament, that the dance got termed as the Kai Silambu Aattam. The participants perform various stepping styles and jumps in course of this dance.

Bommalattam

Bommalattam or Puppet shows are the most favourite dance form in Kerala, but it originated in Tamil Nadu. This dance is held in every village during the time of festivals and fairs. There are various kinds of puppets used for this show, made up of cloth, wood, leather, etc. A skilled performer with the help of strings or wires controls them. This person however, has to stand behind a screen and the puppets are held in front. The stories that are enacted in the puppet shows are from Ved-puranas, history and folklore. These shows are very entertaining and hold both adults and children quite for long time.