Published Paper Details:

Abstract: Kerala � The God�s Own Country � is filled with the presence of music, dance, musical instruments, temple arts and temple rituals. The history of various traditional art forms rests in the soil of Kerala. About eighteen musical instruments are known as �Kshetra Vadyam�. It includes �Deva vadyam� and �Asura Vadyam� from which the distinct place for �Chenda� can be acknowledged by observing where it is present. It might be �Chenda�s resonance that make the seventeen �Ashtadasha Vadyam�s to below the �Chenda�. Some of the musical instruments which are being used for Pooja rituals in temples are also being used for some classical dance forms in Kerala. The study of such musical instruments and the classical dance forms associated to it are the foundation of this journal. Some musical instruments are used only outside the temple and some are used inside the temple only. �Sopana Sangeetham� is one of the popular among �Kshetra Sangeetham�. Only one musical instrument is used in �Sopana Sangeetham� ie Idakka. Idakka is a musical instrument which is inevitable in �Mohiniyattam� concert. Idakka is only used in �Kathakali� when female role is presented. The �Chenda� is an inevitable musical instrument in �Kathakali�. Altogether, five musical instruments in �Pakkamaelam� are used when �Kathakali� is staged from which four are �Kshetra Vadyam�s, �Chenda�, �Idakka�, �Madhalam�, �Chengila� and the one which is excluded in Kshetra Vadyam�s is �Ilathalam�. In �Krishnattam�, which is staged only in the surroundings of the Temple.�Idakka�, �Thoppi Madhalam�, �Sudha Madhalam�, and �Chengila� are borrowed from �Kshetra Vadyam,�s. �Mizhav� is a Kshetra Vadyam which is very important musical instrument for staging Kerals�s unique and traditional art forms, �Koodiyattam� and Nangyar Koothu�. Other than �Mizhav�, Idakka, Kuzhithalam, Conch, and Karumkuzhal are the musical instruments in Koodiyattam and Koothu.