Correct Information About the
Musicalinstruments called JALTERANG and find out
How the different notes are
Produced in it
Answers
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Among the melodic percussion instruments in India, JalTarang is one played with a set of bowls filled with water, which can be of either ceramic material or metal, preferably bronze, arranged in a semi circle form, in front of the player, who uses a beater to strike the bowls’ edges to make different resonances of sound, bringing out melodious music according to the composed tunes, the meaning of JalTarang being ‘Waves in Water’, while the water levels in the bowls so meticulously poured to right levels that each of the bowl would give sounds of different variation.
Origin of JalTarang
The music treatise of medieval times SangeetParijat mentions about JalTarang, categorising this instrument as a Ghan-Vadya, which are idiophonic instruments producing sound coming out of striking a surface, also called sometimes concussion idiophones, while Sngeet Saar another treatise qualifies JalTarang variety with 22 cups to be the complete structure, one with 15 cups coming under mediocre level, the cups to be made either of porcelain or of bronze, the modern JalTarang artistes preferring china bowls with a sixteen number arrangement.
This instrument is also referred as Jal-yanta in certain literature of medieval times, Krishna Cult poets, who were also known as Asht-chhap poets, have made reference about JalTarang, research on earlier literature having not found any mention of it before this time.
Design
JalTarang has the same pattern as that of the gongs of gamlelan which archestra is prevalent in places like Bali, Java and Myanmar, which are manufactured with copper and few other metal alloys, molded in varied shapes in order to produce different musical notes, while these gongs are struck with bamboo sticks held by the player in both the hands, bringing about the desired sound resonances, some experts have commented that these sort of music instruments are regular feature of places in the eastern border of India.
Playing Positions
The sizes of cups or bowls vary according to the resonance they are supposed to bring in JalTarang instrument, notes of lower octave being referred as MandraSwar requiring larger ones, while notes of higher octave called TaarSwar requiring smaller ones, water filled in according to the pitch expected from those cups, which are arranged in half-circle fashion in front of the player, in such a manner he or she can reach the cups easily and comfortably, the player hitting the tip of the cups using a wooden stick, by doing which the skilful player of JalTarang brings out such a melody, that is required for the tune, the art of playing this instrument involves nuances of special kind, which only a seasoned and well trained artiste can employ.
Notable Players
SeethaDoraiswamy, popularly known as MadisaarMaami, is one of the famous JalTarang players, who in fact, is a multi-instrumentalist, playing few other Indian music instruments, considered to be the first ever female exponent of this vanishing music instrument, who was awarded Gold Medal of Honour by the Music Academy, the first of its kind for Carnatic Music in India, an awardee of Kalaimaamani title by the Government of Tamilnadu, this lady had tirelessly worked to preserve this ancient music instrument seeing extinction, besides transferring her knowledge to a number of disciples.