Arumukhanam - for different strokes
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Arumukhanam, percussion instrument with six faces, has been created by S. Gopakumar.
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PERCUSSION ALL THE WAY: Gopakumar with his six-faced instrument.
Arumukhanam is a percussion instrument designed by S. Gopakumar, mridangam lecturer, Bharathiar Palkalaikoodam, Puduchery.
The instrument was first demonstrated in December 2001, before the Chief Minister of Puduchery, N. Rangasamy, and scholars. The Chief Minister lauded the novel attempt and announced that the instrument was being adopted as belonging to the region.
Arumukhanam is the name given by Gopakumar because it has six faces. The unique instrument has six individual pieces assembled together in a semi-circled frame.
It is very easy to assemble or dismantle the heads. Out of six faces one serves as the `thoppi.' The fingers and the palm are used to play the instrument.
The notes produced belong to three octaves— mandra, madhya and tara sthayis. Hide of cow or goat is generally used for the parchments, buffalo skin for two layers of the `thoppi,' and wood of the jack, rosewood, teak, portia and sandal trees.
The height of each piece is seven inches. The shape of the instrument as a whole resembles that of the rising Sun.
How it looks
The Arumukhanam can be played in a sitting or standing posture. It weighs about 12 to 14 kg and is portable because it can be easily dismantled and assembled.
Keeping in mind the sounds produced by each of the six faces, every face of the Arumukhanam has been given names: Domukham, which produces rhythmic sounds `Tha' `Dom', `Gumki'; Thamukham for sounds `Tha', `Ki', `Ta'; Mamukham for `Thi', `Ri', `Nam', `Thlam' (Chaippu), `Dhim'; Dheemukham: `Thi', `Ri', `Nam', `Thlam' (Chaippu.), `Dhim'; Pamukham: for — `Thi', `Ri', `Nam', `Thlam' (Chaippu), `Dhim,' and Samukham: again for `Thi', `Ri', `Nam', `Thlam' (Chaippu), `Dhim.'
The instrument can be played as a solo and also as an accompaniment, and can be adjusted to suit all srutis.
It can be used in orchestral ensembles and with folk, fusion, and western music, and in dance-drama, suddha nrittam and all other forms of dance as well.
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