Lesson 1

d06131 Isai Amaithi

    Tamil music is one of the most ancient music systems in the world. This lesson discusses the
complex and highly developed the oretical
structure underlying Tamil music. Isaithamizh, which is
one of the three components of ancient Tamil
anguage, speaks extensively of the nuances and intricacies of Tamil music.

    The 7 basic notes in Tamil music are ‘sa’, ‘ri’, ‘ga’,
‘ma’, ‘pa’, ‘da’ and ‘ni’. These were called ‘kural’,
‘thutham’, ‘kaikkilai’, ‘uzhai’, ‘ili’, ‘vilari’ and talam. Pan
and Thalam are the primary components of music. Pan
is broadly classified into 4 types as ‘perumpan’, ‘pan
iyal’, ‘thiram’ and ‘thirathiram’. Much of ancient Tamil
literature was in the form of poetry that was set to
music. Numerous literary works that date back to the
Sangam period abound in references to music. ‘Nattrinai’,
‘Ainkurunuru’ and ‘Kurinji Paattu’ describe the Aambal
pan, while there is a mention of the Kanchi pan in the
‘Purananuru’. ‘Malaipadugadaam’, another popular literary
work, talks about the Kurinji pan and there is a
reference to a pan called Naivalam in “KurinjiPaattu’,

‘Sirupaanaatrupadai’ and “Pari Paadal’. It is also
interesting to note that in Sangam literature each
pan is associated with a specific landscape and
emotion.

    ‘Thevaram’, the devotional hymns composed by
the     saivaite poet-saints Thirugnanasambandar,
Thirunaavukkarasar and Sundaramurti,are noted not only
for their poetic beauty but also for their musical appeal.
The poet saints have specified the names of the pans
in which each of these hymns were to be rendered.

    ‘Thalam’ is the rhythmic beat set to time. It is
also known as ‘paani’, ‘seer’, ‘thooku’, and ‘kattalai’.
‘Pathittrupathu’, a literary work of the Sangam period
has references to ‘thooku’. There are seven types of

thooku. Thalam is defined by a system of clapping,
waving and counting of fingers. Accordingly,the 3
thalauruppugal are ‘anuthirutham’, ‘thirutham ’ and ‘lagu’.
Thalam is also characterized by 10 uyirnilaigal. Devotional hymns such as ‘Thevaram’ and ‘Thiruppugazh’ serve as important texts on the
grammar of thalam.The hymns in these two works are
set in intricate thalams.

    Tamil music is also classified as ‘midattrisai’ (i.e.
vocal) and ‘karuviisai’ (i.e. instrumental). The instruments
used in Tamil music are categorized as ‘thorkkaruvi’ (i.e.
instruments made of hide stretched on wood),
‘thulaikkaruvi’ (wind instruments), ‘narambukkaruvi’ (or
stringed instruments) and ‘kanjakkaruvi’ (or metal
instruments). Udukkai, Urumi, Ganjira, Gatam, Kinai,Thavil,
Pambai,Parai,Mirudangam and Murasu are thorkkaruvigal.
Nagaswaram, Flute, Othu, Harmonium and Mugaveenai
are thulaikkaruvigal. Yaazh, Thamburaa, and Veenai are
narambukkaruvigal while Kaithaalam, Bramhathaalam,
Kuzhithaalam and Sallari are a few kanjakkaruvigal.