Parai

Parai

A traditional Parai (along with Tharai)
Other names	Thappattai
Classification	Percussion instruments

Parai also known as Thappattai or Thappu is a traditional

The instrument finds mention in the Sangam literature and has been used by the ancient Tamil people. It is used as a part of parai attam, dance form. While Thappu was a similar instrument used by tribal people, with minor variations, the names were used interchangeably since late middle ages. It might be played along with Tharai, a woodwind instrument in folk dances and festivities or accompanied by other traditional instruments in rituals and functions.

History

In

It consists of a shallow circular ring made of

In paraiattam (also called thappattam), the player of the instrument is also the dancer.^[19] The parai is slung by a cloth strap called Nadai (though leather straps are also used) over one shoulder vertically and is held between the other hand and the performer's body.^[15][12] The harness and the holding position lets the player or drummer to play the instrument while dancing in different positions including standing or walking.^[15][9] In a seated position, the parai is held on the lap.^[12] The short stick is loosely held between the thumb and other fingers of the strong or dominant hand, positioned near the lower rim of the drum. The off or weak hand, which holds the long stick, rests on the upper part of the frame, positioned at a downward-pointing angle.^[12] The base of the stick is gripped by the thumb and index fingers and balanced between the other fingers to be moved back and forth to beat the drum. There are three fundamental strokes from which all of the rhythmic patterns are derived: striking the center of the drum with the shorter stick; slapping the center of the drum with the long stick; and striking the drum with both sticks, the dominant immediately followed by the off.

The membrane is tempered using heat generated from a small bonfire and achieve corresponding variation of beats.^[4] The tempering causes the moisture from the hide to evaporate, stiffening and tightening the membrane, which is essential to produce loud, high pitched beats.^[15] It is considered a bad-omen if the hide becomes torn or there are black spots forming on he hide due to incorrect tempering.^[14]

The dance contains numerous patterns which resemble the patterns of classical dances with the players swaying and stamping their feet in synchronization to the beat.^[12] There is also a variation known as Parai Meala Koothu, where many players stand facing each other and play to contrasting emotions.^[12] There are five basic rhythms used in parai attam: Othayadi, Thenmangu, Saamiyaattam, Thullal and Uyirppu, but it may vary across regions.^[9] There were 156 variations of drum beats or adi used for different purposes and for designating various emotions.^[9] While the instrument was generally played by males, females have also been known to partake in the same.^[17]

Usage

It is a traditional instrument used in

The instrument is generally played with Tharai, a traditional woodwind instrument in Tamil festivals and folk arts.^[25][3][27] It might also be accompanied with other traditional instruments in functions and rituals.^[27] Apart from the standalone parai attam dance, the instrument accompanies with the performance of Street theatre (therukoothu) and various folk dance forms such as Karakattam, Oyilattam etc.^[28][20] In the 21st century, variations and fusion of other music and dance forms with parai have been developed such as Parai Bharatham, a fusion of parai music with Bharatanatyam and mixtures with other western dance forms.^[15][9]

The instrument is also played commonly in funerals which might have arisen from the practice of playing to ascertain the death if the person does not show any movement.^[9] In the last century, the instrument became increasingly associated with funerals rather than auspicious occasions and became a symbol of untouchability and marginalization of Dalit communities.^[29][30] In the recent years, there have been renewed interest in the instrument and movements to project it as a traditional instrument rather than an object of impunity.^[29][15][9]

The instrument has also been played and showcased in urban festivals like the Chennai Sangamam in Chennai and Tamil Thiruvizha in Coimbatore.^[31][32]

In popular culture

The

See also

• Paraiyar
• Tamil culture

References

1. ^ "Parai meaning". Agarathi. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
2. ISBN 978-9-352-01769-0
   . ..Thaarai and thappattai, native instruments of Tamil people..
3. ^
   ISBN 978-8-125-01619-9
   .
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "High and upbeat". The Hindu. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
5. ISBN 978-0-199-35171-8
   .
6. ^ Perumāḷ, Ē. Eṉ. (1985). Tamiḻar icai (in Tamil). University of Michigan. p. 870.
7. ^ ^{a b} "Secular and sacred". The Hindu. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
8. ^ "Thirumurai: A Large Dataset of Tamil Shaivite Poems and Classification of Tamil Pann". Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC 2022). Marseille: European Language Resources Association: 6556–6562. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
9. ^
   ISSN 0971-751X
   . Retrieved 3 July 2022.
10. ^ "Dances with a past". The Hindu. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
11. ^ Das, Priya Sengutpa (6 January 2022). "Parai Attam is a Special Type of Dance in Tamil". Bharat Stories. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
12. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "Parai". Nathalaya. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
13. ^
    ISBN 978-9-811-93367-7
    .
14. ^
    ISBN 978-9-384-39149-2
    .
15. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Taking Parai to the masses". The Times of India. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
16. ^ "Why is there a new Parai wave in Tamil Nadu?". 23 February 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
17. ^
    ISBN 978-0-190-91203-1
    .
18. ^ "Poems of Neithal Thinai – an Introduction". Tamil Virtual University. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
19. ^ "From Tradition To Grace: Dance Forms Of Tamil Nadu". Outlook. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
20. ^ ^{a b c} Singh, K. S. (2001). People of India: Tamil Nadu. Anthropological Survey of India. tharai, thappattai and kaithalam. They perform folk dances.
21. ^ Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's Ethnography. Global Vision Publishing House. 2006. p. 720. Some of their musical instruments are moolam, nayanam, kulal, tharai, ...
22. ISBN 978-9-812-30418-6
    .
23. ^ "Secular and sacred". The Hindu. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
24. ISBN 978-8-184-58006-8
    .
25. ^ ^{a b} Baliga, B.S. (1998). Madras District Gazetteers: Tiruchirappalli. Superintendent, Government Press. p. 234. ..taken to the temple in a big procession with mela dhalam, tharai thappatai and crackers.
26. ^ "Muneeswarar Stotram". Shastras.com. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
27. ^ ^{a b} The Indian Factories Journal. Vol. 99. Cornell University. 2002. p. 217. such as Melam, Nathaswaram, Thavil, Parai, Thaarai, Thappattai, Urimi Melam, Naiyandi Melam and Band etc.
28. ^ "Parai Attam Folk Dance, Origin, History, Information, Style". Gosahin. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
29. ^ ^{a b} "The parai: Then and now, the instrument plays a key role in anti-caste struggle". Newsminute. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
30. ^
    ISBN 978-9-391-37090-9
    .
31. ^ "Pongal takes a different flavour at Tamizhar Tiruvilla". The Times of India. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023. performances like silambam, oyilattam, poi kaal attam, parai and tharai thappattai, among others.
32. ^ "Dance forms galore to enthrall Chenaiites". The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
33. ^ "When Director Bala Called Varalakshmi Her Favourite Actress For This Reason". News18. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
34. ^ "An Artiste of the Millennium: Ilaiyaraaja at 75". The Wire. Retrieved 1 December 2023. He used authentic instruments like tharai and thappattai (Parai drums)..

External links

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