Villupāṭṭu performance in the temple to Santhanamari, in the village of Kottaram (Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). Villupāṭṭu is an ancient form of musical story-telling in which narration is interspersed with music. Musicians: Agasta Lingam Pillai (villu), Ganapati (jhala - bottle cap rattle), Ayappan (kuḍam), Ramayya (voice, jālra), Ramasam (kaṭṭai - wood blocks), Tangam (uḍukku), and Minatci Nathan (harmonium / hmnm). Vellalar community. Items 1-27 were recorded on PCM. The last pieces, perhaps starting with the Shasta Story, Items 28-32, were recorded on video cassette and audio cassette. 1. Prayer to Ganapati (instrumental and song). The Data Sheet references the 1938 A. A. Bake recording, Bake 20.4 "Villupatu; Prayer to Ganapati." 2. Verse dedicated to the Kumaraswamy Kottara. Kumaraswamy Kottarawas also the guru of the present singer Agasta Lingam Pillai. Kumaraswamy was recorded by A. A. Bake in 1938, in Bake 21.1 "Villupattu from Kottara: Birth of Shasta" and 21.2 "Villupattu from Kottara: Birth of Shasta (continuation)." 3-27: Speech songs, a long section of 24 verses telling the stories of minor kings battling Asuras prior to Shasta's birth. >3. Speech, song: sloka. 4. Speech, song: rupaka talam (six beats). 5. Speech, song: talattu song (lullaby). 6. Speech, song: "go to school." 7. Speech, song: "learn to ride a horse & elephant." 8. Speech, song. 9. Speech, song: six beats. 10. Speech, song: birth of an asura (demon). 11. Speech, song: six beats. The small kings afraid of asuras, so they wage war against them. 12-14. Speech, song: six beats. 15. Speech, song: six beats. Asuras are afraid. 16-17. Speech, song: six beats. 18. Speech, song: eight beats (adi talam). 19. Short speech, song: six beats. 20. Speech, song: six beats ("nandi"). 21. Speech, song: six beats. 22. Speech, song: eight beats. 23. Speech, song: six beats. 24. Short speech, song: six beats. 25. Short speech, song: six beats. All previous items were Asuras burning etc. 26. Short speech, song: six beats. 27. Long speech, song.
Villupāṭṭu performance in the temple to Santhanamari, in the village of Kottaram (Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). Villupāṭṭu is an ancient form of musical story-telling in India. Performance by a Villupāṭṭu ensemble with seven musicians: Agasta Lingam Pillai (voice, Villu), Ganapati (jhala - bottle cap rattle), Ayappan (kuḍam), Ramayya (voice, jālra), Ramasam (kaṭṭai - wood blocks), Tangam (uḍukku), Minatci Nathan (harmonium / hmnm). The portions of the performance recorded on video cassette are described below.<br/><br/> Items 1-27 were recorded on PCM (audio digital pulse code monulation, on vhs cassette). The last pieces, perhaps starting with the Shāstā Story, were recorded on video cassette and audio cassette. <br/><br/>28. Beginning of the Shāstā Story. Speech, song: six beats. Another song: eight beats: The meeting of Mohini and Shiva, the birth of Shāstā (also recorded in 1938 by A. A. Bake, Bake 21.1 "Villupatu from Kottara: Birth of Shāstā"). <br/><br/>29. Story of Shāstā. Repeated. Performed in response to Bake 20.5 "Thanksgiving (Chorus) Guru Kumaraswami of Kottara." About the Bombai River, where Shāstā is born. <br/><br/>30. Vali "Thanksgiving." After hearing a playback of the March 5, 1938 A. A. Bake recording, Bake 20.5 "Thanksgiving (Chorus) Guru Kumaraswami of Kottara," the group performed. <br/><br/>31. Mangalam. Auspicious closing song. <br/><br/>32. Demonstrations of musical instruments: (13:02-13:54) kuḍam (bronze pot resonator) and palai (palm frond beater of kuḍam's mouth, (13:55-15:55) uḍukku (small hourglass drum), (16:00-17:27) villu (a large musical bow with 7 hanging bronze bells), (18:00-18:31) kaṭṭai - wood blocks, (18:33:18:59) jālra (small bronze hand cymbals), (19:00-19:27) harmonium drone on Db, G and C pitches. At the end of the demonstration the remainder of the video shows the audience talking, mostly young boys, and an interior view of Santhanamariambal mandir. An honorarium was given to Agasta Lingam Pillai for the Bake restudy villupattu performance.
Villupāṭṭu performance in the temple to Santhanamari, in the village of Kottaram (Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). Villupāṭṭu is an ancient form of musical story-telling in India. Performance by a Villupāṭṭu ensemble by seven musicians: Agasta Lingam Pillai (voice, Villu), Ganapati (jhala - bottle cap rattle), Ayappan (kuḍam), Ramayya (voice, jālra), Ramasam (kaṭṭai - wood blocks), Tangam (uḍukku), Minatci Nathan (harmonium / hmnm). Items 1-27 were recorded on PCM (audio digital pulse code monulation, on vhs cassette). The last pieces, perhaps starting with the Shāstā Story, were recorded on video cassette and audio cassette. 28. Beginning of the Shāstā Story. Speech, song: six beats. Another song: eight beats: The meeting of Mohini and Shiva, the birth of Shāstā (also recorded in 1938 by A. A. Bake, Bake 21.1 "Villupatu from Kottara: Birth of Shāstā"). 29. Story of Shāstā. Repeated. About the Bombai River, where Shāstā is born. 30. Vali "Thanksgiving." After hearing a playback of the March 5, 1938 A. A. Bake recording, Bake 20.5 "Thanksgiving (Chorus) Guru Kumaraswami of Kottara," the group performed. 31. Mangalam. Auspicious closing song. 32. Demonstrations of musical instruments including: (17:15-18:38) kuḍam (bronze pot resonator) and pālai (palm frond beater of kuḍam's mouth), (19:04-20:28) villu (a large musical bow with 7 hanging bronze bells), (21:14-21:36) jhala, (21:54-22:19) ; jālra (small bronze hand cymbals), (22:20-22:45) harmonium drone on Db, G and C pitches. The leader removed the Db, but it had been used all through the performance. An honorarium was given to Agasta Lingam Pillai for the Bake restudy Villupāṭṭu performance.
