Parai artist recreates two percussion instruments

Gradually, people stopped playing the instruments due to various reasons. Parai artist and trainer Sound Mani has recreated two percussion instruments called Chandra Pirai and Surya Pirai. 

“Both these are popular percussion instruments that were used in Mariamman temples and other temples of village deities. A thin parchment is strained over iron rings of the two shapes. The rings are connected to a handle with an extended arm. You can tie the instruments on the forehead and play with a stick. Chandra Pirai is also called Chandramandalam and Surya Pirai is called Suryamandalam. It is said that Surya Pirai is played in the temples in the morning and Chandra Pirai in the evening. There is a mention of these two instruments in the Sangam literature,” says Sound Mani. 

The youngster who is on a mission to recreate long-lost musical instruments feels that it is the need of the hour. “We had a lot of beautiful instruments in Tamil Nadu. But as time passes by, people stopped playing them and slowly those instruments vanished. I wanted to recreate the instruments so that today’s generation will get to know our rich past and history.”