Astonishments 1

Musical Pillars in South Indian Temples

Picture: Musical Staircase in Darasuram Temple.

Musical pillars are famous in this following temples:

1.Alakarkovil,

2.Alvarthirunagari

3.Kalakadu

4.Kuttralam

5.Suseendrum

6.Senpaghanalur

7.Tadpatri.

8.Thadikombu

9.Tirupati

10.Thiruvananthapuram

11.Tirunelveli

(Update: An excellent article about musical pillars can be found at this blog: http://networkedblogs.com/sTYW1)

12.Tenkasi

13.Banglore ramarajanpeattai

14.Madurai Meenakshi

15.Lepakshi

16.Hampi

There are two type of musical pillars

1.Beating or tapping pillars

2.Blowing pillars.

First one will produce musical sound when u tap them, while the second one by blowing air in the holes like wind

instruments. They select the rock to make these pillars by tapping them. Usually these pillars are 3 to 7 feet long.

They are played by Oothuvars at the time of Pujas with other temple music instruments.If they sound like bronze

metallic, then they are used for the female idol while sounds like gem stones are used for male idols. Some stones

also sound like palm trees and are used to make pillars. The stones which produce the echo effect are also used to

create musical pillars. Thee selection and use of these special stones is based on the type of metallic sounds made.

It is interesting to note that, not only do we have musical pillars, but we also have a properly tuned musical staircase

in Darasuram temple.Of course, some musical pillar not only produce sounds but also cause near by pillar to vibrate

in resonance to produce harmonics and create a musical effect. In this case, each pillar is sculpted to create a

different scale of sound.

These muscial pillars are four types;

1.Sruthisthamba - are used during Puja along with "shangu and Yeakalum (horn)

2.Ganasthamba

3.Layasthamba

4.Pradharasana sthamba - used to knew the ragas, each pillar sounds different .

By tapping separately or collectively we can hear musical ragas these type of pillars are at Tadapatri temple.

Wind instrument pillars are fantastic. If you blow air in the holes of these pillars, it produce sound like "shangu or

yeakalam. The shape of the pillars are round, "amla" shape, square, puris (I don't understand this),rectangular,

octagon and polygonal. The diagonal or diameter of all pillars are about the same in size. They are black gray or

slight yellowish white in color.In Nellaiappar temple there are two pillars. They are made by single stone. Each

pillar has one big pillar in the center and small pillars of different sizes and shape around it. In all, there are 48 small

pillars. Each one produces a different sound or suram like sa, re, da, sa, sa, re, na, sa, da, re, sa, de, na, ma ne, pa,

na, sa,, da, pa, da, ma. Similarly, there are two more pillars are in Devi sannathi. These square shapes pillars sounds

Panchama raga and octagonal shaped pillar sounds Madhyama ragas.The Alvar Thirunagari temple has both tapping

pillar and blow pillars in Vasanta Mandapam. The tapping pillar gives 7 swaras. The blowing pillars are having two hole

in both sides. When you blow each give different music. But if two person blow from both ends alternatively, the pillar

produces sound like shangu (Couch) and "yakalam"(horn). However, the specialty of the temple is the Nathaswaram

made in stone.In Shenpakanallur Perumal temple, the blow pillars are special and perfect. These pillars have a tubular

shape with holes at both ends. They are about one inch in diameter in one side and slightly smaller hole in other side.

And about one feet long. The tubular structure of the musical pillar has many folds and produces different sounds.

These pillars are located towards the South-West of Garba Graha.In Suseeendrum temple, there are 4 musical pillar

opposite to the Bhairavar Mandapam. The northern pillars of 4 pillars have a small musical pillar at the center, surrounded

by 24 pillars. The southern pillars have a small pillar at the center and surrounded by 35 pillars. Each pillar is octagonal

at the top and square at the bottom. The sounds produced by these pillars are similar to those found in the Nellaiappar temple

pillars.In the Madurai Meenakshi Ammal temple, there are 5 music pillars which produces “Navaroj Kurunji” ragas. These

pillars are located at the Mottai Gopuram.The Thaadikombu temple pillars gives vedic sound.In the Hampi temple, the

musical pillars produce a different sound when tapped at the top side, middle (like a bell) and the bottom side of the

pillar. If you tap all pillars at same time, they produce a beautiful melodies music note.Algarkovil pillars has different shape

small pillar around the big pillar give different music note.In my opinion, the best sculptured musical pillars with artistic

carvings can be found in the Shenbaga Nallur temple.In Kumbakkonam adi kumbeswarar temple there are two

nathaswaram made in stone which you see on saraswathi pooja day in "kollu'.