Tamil musicology

[Palaniappa at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-02 13:29:20 EST, kichenas at math.umn.edu (Satyanad
Kichenassamy) writes:

<< 2) is mOhanam the paN which comes about in the well-known episode from
 TiruviLaiyATaRpurANam? 
 
 By the way, to answer N. Ganesan's query, the varieties of yAzh have been
 described in yAzh nUl (which was referred to already by S. Pichumani) and
 which contains several pictures. It does look like a small harp (again,
 see this book for details). It appears to have been used as an
 accompaniment and is attested in several places (I can't resist quoting
 
 KuRaL 66:  kuzhal-ini ti-yAzh-ini t-enpa-tam makkaL
            mazhalai-c-col kElA tavar
          
          They say that the kuzhal is sweet, that the yAzh is sweet,
          who have not heard the faltering words of their (own) children)
 
 It seems to have been used concurrently with the `viiNai' (presumably an
 *earlier form* of the modern viiNai) and its disappearance has been
 attributed to changes in ornamentation and other reasons.
  >>
Yes, zivA in the episode of selling firewood in Madurai sang paN sAtAri or
rAga Mohanam.

As for yAz and vIna being played simultaneously, mAnNikka vAcakar in a verse
in TiruvAcakam states:

       innicai vINaiyar yAzinar orupAl
       irukkoTu tOttiram iyampinar orupAl

     on one side there were players of melodious lute and vINa
     on one side they were chanting Rig Vedic verses and stotras

Regards

S. Palaniappan