A treasure unearthed
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Little did Anasuya Kulkarni know that she would stumble upon the 130-year-old instrument, Anghklung. She writes about the interesting expedition
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TREASURE HUNT After months of dogged pursuit Anasuya did find the metal Anghklung in the store-room of the Mysore Palace band
During the Dussera cultural festivities of last year (2006), I played the rare Anghklung instrument and R. Dasappa, played the Morsing. Seeing me play the Anghklung, he mentioned that a similar instrument may be in the Jaganmohan Palace museum. With
that began my search; I spoke to musician friends and scholars if they were aware of the existence of this instrument in the collection of musical instruments in the palace. The most positive answer was “check with Palace and police officials who are in charge of the palace property.”
We took the initiative of calling the Mysore police control room to get the telephone number of Police Commissioner Praveen Sood to seek his permission in the fond hope of finding Anghklung in their custody. The gracious officer put us on to Bhaskar Rao, who in turn put us onto the Commandant of the Karnataka State Reserve Police Mounted Company (KSRPMC) S.G. Mariba Shetty.
Our first contact in the KSRPMC was Band Master Arokya Swamy. I showed him a sample of a bamboo Anghklung which I had taken, he was quick to grasp what I was trying to look for. He immediately told his staff to bring one piece from store room. In a few minutes it was in my hands! And the instrument was in good condition and it produced such wonderful sound in perfect tune, I could barely believe. The entire set mounted on a stand was removed from the store room to the practice hall and all the band staff participated in dusting this strange looking and strange sounding but melodious musical instrument. Nobody knew when this instrument was imported and when it was played last. The current staff was even unaware of how the instrument had to be organised and played.
I took the initiative and rearranged it, and even showed them how to play it. I played “Ninnukori” and “Varaveena” in Mohana Raga along with the police band. I could see amazement in their bewildered eyes to see life put in that instrument. To my surprise, although this instrument is said to have been imported about 130 years ago from England, all the units of the instrument were in perfect pitch as if it was brand new. My own bewilderment was to see the metal Anghklung with bamboo resonator. I have seen Anghklung being played in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and they were all made of bamboo. In Indonesia, on Bali Island, the Anghklung has two, three and four vertical bamboo pieces. All the vertical and horizontal pieces are of bamboo. More vertical pieces mean more rich sound. I have seen many music bands but I have never seen a metal Anghklung being employed.
It is well worth finding out as to why this instrument did not find four in the band music.
Both wings of the music bands come under Mariba Shetty. Because of his initiative and drive, priceless old musical instruments which would have otherwise been auctioned as junk, are now safe in the police museum.
Now that the Anghklung appears on the stand duly dusted, I am sure, under the able leadership of the Commandant Mariba Shetty and support from the Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao, it will find its rightful place in the ensemble of the police band and enrich the quality of music produced.
Mysore Police band is the only one such ensemble in India having the unique metal Anghklung instrument which produces rich, melodious and enchanting sound.
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