Kerala chenda melam

E634233

Kerala chenda melam is a traditional, large-scale percussion ensemble from Kerala, India, featuring rows of chenda drums and other instruments played in powerful, rhythmic unison at temple festivals and cultural events.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Kerala art form
percussion ensemble
traditional music ensemble
associatedLanguage Malayalam NERFINISHED
associatedState Kerala NERFINISHED
country India
culturalContext Hindu temple culture in Kerala
drumPlayingStyle played with sticks on one side of the chenda
eventAssociation pooram festivals
temple utsavams
function festival entertainment
ritual accompaniment
genre folk music of Kerala
ritual music
temple music
materialCulture cylindrical wooden chenda drums
musicalFeature complex rhythmic cycles
gradual increase in tempo and intensity
powerful rhythmic unison
orientation drums held vertically
percussionType loud outdoor percussion
performanceLocation procession routes
temple courtyards
performanceScale large ensemble
performanceStyle standing rows of drummers
region Kerala NERFINISHED
relatedArtForm panchari melam NERFINISHED
pancharimelam
pandi melam
relatedInstrument chenda
religiousAssociation Hinduism NERFINISHED
requiresSkill advanced rhythmic training
rhythmicBasis tala cycles used in Kerala temple music
socialRole community gathering
expression of regional identity
soundCharacteristic high volume
sharp, resonant drum tones
tempoStructure progressive acceleration
transmission guru–shishya tradition
typicalEnsembleSize dozens of performers
typicalSetting cultural events
processions
temple festivals
usesInstrument chenda
ilathalam
kombu
kuzhal

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Thrissur Pooram musicTradition Kerala chenda melam