The kuzhal is a traditional
double reed wind instrument used in the south
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
n state of
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South C ...
. It is similar in construction to a ''
nagaswaram'' or a large ''
shehnai'', and has a very shrill and penetrating tone.
Kuzhal is primarily used as an accompaniment for chenda-led ensembles
Panchari Melam and
Pandi Melam, where the piper plays the anchor role. However, as prelude to melams, it is also used to present solo concert (with a couple of accompanying instruments), in which case it is called
Kuzhal Pattu
Kuzhal pattu is a form of traditional temple music practised in the Kerala state of India. It centers on the use of the kuzhal, a double reed wind instrument, and is typically performed at temple festivals.
Structure
In kuzhal pattu, the kuzha ...
.
The instrument has a wooden body with a conical bore, at the end of which is affixed a
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
bell. The player, who is almost always male, blows through a double reed and closes small holes
with both hands.
See also
*
Nadaswaram
*
Shehnai
*
Music of Kerala
References
L.S. Rajagopalan. ''Temple Musical Instruments Of Kerala''. . D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd
External links
Kuzhal video
Indian musical instruments
Single oboes with conical bore
{{DoubleReed-instrument-stub