Khanjira And Its Uniqueness
Khanjira is a beautiful instrument that is a part of the South Indian classical music percussion ensemble. It is also made from wood and animal skin but the beauty of this instrument is that it is very small in size and easy to carry. This instrument has created a wave in Carnatic classical music because percussionists from around the globe are always intrigued by the sound it produces. Khanjira has played a very important role in adding flavor to the music through the vibrating and enchanting sound it produces. The skin of Khanjira is made from monitor lizard and the reason is that as a player when you apply water to the skin it loosens and gives various tones and sounds. This is the unique feature of Khanjira as we also get the low and high tones when we are playing the instrument for songs with various scales. I started playing this instrument from the past two or three years and I feel this is the most difficult instrument because it really needs the expertise of playing in one hand as the instrument is slightly bigger than our palm.
Like Mridangam this instrument is used as an accompaniment in the Carnatic classical genre where we see them playing various talas and beats to create this energetic environment among the audience. The main factor is the tala or the knowledge about the beat cycle in classical Indian music. If we master that then we have made a strong foundation for ourselves because the talas are the same because they are the universal language for the Indian percussion instruments. Khanjira has a very devotional and enchanting sound that creates a mesmerizing aura which is very meditative. The various sounds it produces as an instrument is what attracts the audience. The main technique is we hold the instrument in one hand and use the other to play the beats and hence we should make sure our hand has free movement that is required and hence we can achieve it only by constant practice.
Indian music has created a wave in the world because of the unique musical features it upholds. Khanjira is also one such invention we can come across because of the widespread usage of this instrument. This instrument is slowly evolving in other genres of Indian music where people are trying to use the unique feature of Khanjira to implement various sounds. The loosening of the skin is what I feel is the beauty of Khanjira and helps us to connect with the right sound for the right beat. Most Indian percussion instruments use water as a medium to loosen the skin to get a better sound which will match the requirements for the concert and Khanjira is one among them. As a percussionist I feel this instrument has taken a great curve in the Indian classical music genre because of the feel it passes to the audience. As you all know from my blogs that I have emphasized the fact that music is meditative and devotional.
Khanjira might look small to our eyes as an instrument but the sound creates a flamboyant character in our minds. The traditional practice of learning and respecting the instrument makes Indian classical music powerful around the globe. Khanjira exemplifies tradition, heritage, and innovation that the Indian musicians have gifted us. I feel proud that I have learnt this instrument and I am able to share my thoughts with you all. I will explore many more percussion instruments around the globe to give you all a flavor of heritage and history.
Listen to this beautiful instrument:-
Reference:-
Amazing sounds of the Kanjira | G Guruprasanna | Carnatic Frame Drum | Music of India. (2014, April 11). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukn0UWHc6Kg
