Stringed instruments (Tata)

Three kinds of stringed instruments can be noticed in the sculptural art of this period, as described infra.

(i) Single stringed vina (Ekatantri-vina)

Ekatantri-vina appears to be more popular in this period, as can be known from the large number of sculptural depictions of this instrument. It is represented as a long cylindrical body resembling a bamboo stick or a tubular rod (danda) with a hemispherical resonator resembling a cup fixed at right angles to the stick. Judging from the thickness of the rod, it can be assumed that the instrument has only one string (hence the name ekatantri). No peg can be seen on them for the purpose of tuning, which perhaps, is hidden from the view of the visitor. The cup is pressed against the chest and the instrument held diagnolly or horizontally across the body^[1] / Fine examples of this can be seen held in the hands of kinnaris in the larger and smaller Bhagiratha penance panel at Mamallapuram and also by Siva in the Dharmaraja-ratha at Mamallapuram. The Kailasanatha temple complex at Kanchipuram portrays this instrument in majority held in the hands of kinnari (fig. 386) flanking the main niches on the Rajasimhesvara shrine. It is also seen popularly depicted in the hands of Dakshinamurti and Ardhanarisvara (fig. 387) in the same temple. The depiction of this type of vina in these sculptures can be compared with similar ones found painted in the chaitya-griha (cave no. 26) at Ajanta (Aurangabad district, Maharashtra), which was dated to circa 5^th –6^th century A.D. of the reign of the Vakatakas^[2]. Vina of this type still survives in South India, where it is known as ekadanda and ekadandi and in Maharashtra as ekatari^[3].

(ii) Drone (Yal)

Drone or yal is also a type of ekatantri vina, as it also has only one string attached to its rod, but with a bottle-gourd shaped resonator at the tip. A unique example of this type can be seen held by a bard (fig. 5) carved on the eastern side of the second tier of Dharmaraja-ratha at Mamallapuram. The instrument has a vertical stem that joins with a bottle-gourd shaped lower part.

(iii) Vina with pear shaped resonator

Fine example of a vina with a pear shaped resonator can be seen in the hands of Parvati in one of the niches of a angalaya in the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. However its exact form is obstructed by the plaster work of later period (fig. 388). A best preserved type can be seen played by a gana, carved on the adhisthana of the Sundaravaradaperumal temple at Uttiramerur (fig. 389). It has a pear shaped body with a horizontal straight stem attached to its neck. His left hand is seen playing the strings and he placed the palm of his right hand on the opening of the resonator. This type of vina can be compared very well with the one sculptured at Amaravati (Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh), which was described by C. Sivaramamurti as a guitar shaped vina^[4].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Gift Siromoney, “Musical Instruments from Pallava Sculpture”, in Kalakshetra Quaterly, Vol. 2, No. 4,1979, pp.11-20.

[2]:

M. K. Dhavalikar, Ajanata -A Cultural Study, Poona, 1973, pp. 115–116, fig. XXIX, 1.

[3]:

P. Sambamoorthy, Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Madras Government Museum, Madras, p. 10.

[4]:

C. Sivaramamurti, Amaravati Sculpture in the Chennai Government Museum, Madras 1942 (Reprint 1998), Pl. XIII, nos 11 and 14.