Nadaswaram

"Nadhaswaram" redirects here. For the Tamil TV series, see Nadhaswaram (TV series).
Nadaswaram
A Nadasvaram with seevali
Double reed wind
Other namesNagasvaram
Classification Wind instruments

The nadaswaram[note 1] is a double reed wind instrument from South India.[1] It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala[2] and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

This instrument is "among the world's loudest non-brass acoustic instruments".[3] It is a wind instrument partially similar to the North Indian shehnai, but much longer, with a hardwood body, and a large flaring bell made of wood or metal.

In South Indian culture, the nadasvaram is considered to be very auspicious, and it is a key musical instrument played in almost all Hindu weddings and temples of the South Indian tradition.[4] It is part of the family of instruments known as mangala vadyam[5] (lit. mangala "auspicious", vadya "instrument"). The instrument is usually played in pairs, and accompanied by a pair of drums called thavil;[6] it can also be accompanied with a drone from a similar oboe, called the ottu.[7]


Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ University, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru (25 August 2017). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-5381-0686-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Venkatasubramanian, T. K. (2010). Music as History in Tamilnadu. Primus Books. p. 50. ISBN 978-93-80607-06-1.
  3. ^ "Reality show India's Got Talent - Khoj 2 winners to sing for Obama". India Today. 31 October 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  4. ^ Light Isaac (1967). Theory of Indian music. Printed at Shyam Printers. p. 156. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  5. ^ Vijaya Ghose; Jaya Ramanathan; Renuka N. Khandekar (1992). Tirtha, the treasury of Indian expressions. CMC Ltd. p. 201. ISBN 978-81-900267-0-3. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  6. ^ Percussioner International Audio Magazine. Sal Sofia Industries, Inc. 1984. p. 38. Retrieved 25 December 2012.
  7. ^ Ragini Devi (1990). Dance Dialects Of India. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 222–. ISBN 978-81-208-0674-0. Retrieved 25 December 2012.