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In a small temple in Tanjavur, the air-filled melam is a melodious reminder of a time when humans were living harmoniously with nature. As the melam plays, visitors from all walks of life from around the world stop to listen and pay their respects. This melam is an integral part of Tamil culture and is performed all over India on festive occasions. In addition to being played at temples during festivals, it also plays a significant role in marriages and funerals where it is seen as sacred knowledge that helps bridge generations. It has been said that if you listen to this melam even once every day for four years instead of other music you will lose your grief and sorrows completely. The "Tanjavur Urumi Melam" is the first public musical ensemble of its kind in the world. It was created by Kuppusamy Nadar and his wife Sucharitha in 1936. The melam has been part of Tanjavur's culture since ancient times and was not restricted to temples alone. It could be heard in houses and courtyards, at road side tunes and at toddy shops during festivals and celebrations. Standing in a small room within a temple, the "Melam" is played by air-filled bowls that vie for space with dancing women wearing white cloths. The notes of a melam are full of subtle sophistication and a deft knowledge of the "panchaalai" is required to listen to it properly. The performance by the village musicians today is as colourful as it was during antiquity, as the women wear their traditional dress and mingle with visitors from all over the country as they enter the temple. The melam is played on a pair of cymbals called "komal kanjira”. This instrument has eight holes for resonance and thus, producing a rich sound along with a series of brilliant rhythms that celebrate life. The melam is performed only in the evenings and late nights. The musicians assemble in front of the temple and perform on a "mandapam" (raised platform). They wear bright coloured "kuravai" (traditional headgear) while some wear a white hand towel that has been dipped in clay and then dried in the sun, while some even wear a conical cap made of palm leaf. All of them wear bright colours and dance to the rhythm of drums, cymbals, four-side small drums called "ilathalam", trumpets with finger holes called "venu" made from coconuts, trumpets with finger holes called "valanjira". The young girls who perform with them are called "Kathakali" dance-dancers. They sing traditional songs. The melam always starts at 9pm and ends after midnight. The women sit on the floor along with the men while the musicians stand in front of them. On occasions, musicians walk around the temple playing their instruments while people surround them and enjoy the music. The rhythm of drums , cymbals, ilathalam , valanjira is so regular that it continues even when people walk by. The kuravai-clad drummers play their drums with vigour while twirling two other drums in their other hands, which plays a critical role in bringing out intense melodies during festivals. 83cfa1e7782065