Sound and Science - The Hindu (UKS Sir)

[erode14]

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/article777038.ece

[uday_shankar]

Thanks Nagraj. Interesting article. One error: "arachappu" is wrongly translated as "half-hit" ! It is actually an "arai" or full-face hit ! Shri UKS' arachappu is indeed nAda brahmam.

[Nick H]

From out Balaji's site:

Full Chappu

Arai Chappu

[uday_shankar]

Thanks Nick. On the face of it it looks like I'm the one who's wrong although I could have sworn that some mrdangist once explained to me that it's not "arai" as in half but really "arai" as in a sound thrashing .

Perhaps Shri Nagraj can clarify ?

[Nick H]

There are two strokes, full- and half- chapu, so according to my lessons, it is arai as in half.

The only difference is that we were taught to strike with the tip of the little finger on opposite (to us) edge of the black --- leading to permanent confusion as to which is full and which is half!

[mankuthimma]

it's not "arai" as in half but really "arai" as in a sound thrashing

cant be "as in thrashing "
Judging by the looks of these tender hands trying to keep pace with UKS
http://www.mediafire.com/?4dk7polp4kehmcd

[venkatakailasam]

Please see the link regarding 'Sound and science: measure for measure'
at the following link-an article appearing in The Hindu of 23 -09-10:

http://www.hindu.com/seta/2010/09/23/st ... 581800.htm

venkatakailasam

[erode14]

UKS sir has explained in many of his lec- dems, that aRai chApu is not half chapu.
aRaindhu koduppadhu aRai chApu. The tip of the little finger has nothing to do with that.
Also, there is no need to divide the mrudangam into half while playing aRai chApu.
The position, angle, weight and the nAdha produced are different.

Erode Nagaraj

[cmlover]

ha ha!
what a difference one letter makes!
arai = half, aRai = hit vigorously
The 'ra' 'Ra' letters are special for the draavidian languages especially Tamil/malayalam/??
arai also means grind or massage which is not meant here by UKS; it is aRai or hit vigorously!
(I would rather take an arai any day in lieu of aRai any day
The poor mridaangam in the hands of Erode )

[erode14]

lol!! Mama... namakku thAn aRai, mrudangaththukku
adhu 'room' where the nAdha stays..

sivanO, puliththOlai araikkisaiththavan!
nandhiyO, pasunthOlai aRaindhisaippavan!!

[rajumds]

One of the interesting observation was that goat skin is better than cow skin. I remember discussing how mrudangam is made and quite a few posts on use of cow skin.

Goat skin will be more easily available and of course goats are not revered

[Nick H]

On the right head:

inner layer is cow
mid (main) layer is goat
outer ring is cow

On the left head, the heavy outer ring is buffalo,

Even as I am writing, I am forgetting if the main skin is cow or goat, and if there is another ring under it <Blush>

Anyway... it takes the skin of three animals and one tree to make a mridangam.

[cmlover]

sivanO, puliththOlai araikkisaiththavan!
nandhiyO, pasunthOlai aRaindhisaippavan!!

naanO chevitthOlai (eardrum) isaikkaLitthavan
nIyO kaitthOlai (skin of the hand) kalaikkaLitthavan!

[erode14]

Ha ha.. kaiththOlai!! Just like panai Olai or thennai Olai...
The leaf of the rope. Rope is "thAm"bu; (e) rode is pAmbu.
One thing is true. "whole-ai" koduththavan...