Melam
Encyclopedia
Melam is the common name for percussion instruments that are unique to Tamilnadu, Kerala
and parts of South India
. The most traditional of all melams is the Pandi Melam
, which is generally performed outside the temple
. Another melam called the Panchari Melam
, which is similar to Pandi Melam, but the Panchari Melam is played inside the temple.
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and parts of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. The most traditional of all melams is the Pandi Melam
Pandi Melam
Pandi melam is a classical percussion concert or melam led by the ethnic Kerala instrument called the chenda and accompanied by ilathalam , kuzhal and Kombu....
, which is generally performed outside the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
. Another melam called the Panchari Melam
Panchari melam
Panchari Melam is a percussion ensemble, canonically lasting more than four hours, performed during temple festivals in Kerala, India. Panchari Melam , is one of the major forms of chenda melam , and is the best-known and most popular kshetram vadyam genre...
, which is similar to Pandi Melam, but the Panchari Melam is played inside the temple.