MALLARI

Mallari as known to everybody is a musical form played on Nagaswaram at the outset of any deity’s procession. It is in a way, a signature tune and anyone can easily understand that the temple diety has commenced the rounds. The form and compositions of Mallari are generally believed to be the off-shoots of ‘Prabhandham’. Even though there are possibilities that the word “ Mallari” may have a tamil origin, we cannot say from which language it originally is.

“Malla” means wrestler or Palanquin bearer and “Ri” means the voluminous sound produced by the palanquin bearer when they carry it. To equate this sound, the work mallari came to be used particularly in temples.

An agama “Dhvajarohana vidhi” speaks about a tune called Mallara that should be sounded when the deity starts from its abode. The Mallara might have by the course of time, corruptly gained the name “Mallari”. Interestingly, there is a raga called Mallara a janya of Kharaharapriya (22^nd Mela) with the scale, S R g m P D  P S,,, S D P m R S,.

In earlier days, inorder to inform the people regarding the commencement of deity’s procession, fireworks, (Sushira) Wind instruments like Kombu, Ekkaalam, Namari and percussive instruments like Thappu, Thaarai, Udal were adopted and played. Even then the musical form Mallari played on the nagaswaram was the most significant ways among them.

Mallari has no lyrics and rendered in variety of talas. It is always rendered in Gambheera Nattai.

There are 2 interpretations to answer the question why GambheeraNattai?

1.      It is to picturise the Gambheeryam or majestic appearance o the lord on the palanquin or chariot with all his ornaments and jeweled costumes.

2.      According to agamas, again, any ritual connected with god should commence only with the  numbers 5. 5 swaras in this case. Five has a significant value; Panchabhootha, Panchakriya, Panchasakthi and so on.

That is why a pentatonic raga which evokes veera rasa is employed

It may be observed that even before the commencement of nagaswaram the Tavil artist would play “ Alarippu” which is in Khanda gathi. Only then a short alapana of gambheera nattai is played then the Mallari would follow. Even in dances in the temple, they would start with a mela prapthi in the same khanda gathi.

Regarding the Thevaram music it is said that it was only Thirugnanasambhandar who started it with the song ‘Thodudaiya Seviyan’. This song was originally sung by the oduvars in the raga gambheeranattai in khandachappu. All these contribute to the point that Mallari should be rendered only in the pentatonic raga Gambheeranattai preceded by Alarippu in khanda gathi.

Mallari are of different types. As quoted earlier there is no lyrics and it is always denoted in ‘thatha-kalam”.

Mallari played in a siva temple during the deity’s procession on Kaalai Vaahanam (Ox-headed palanquin) is known as ‘Periya Mallari”. The mallari rendered while performing the ablution (Abhishekam of deity)  is called “Theertha Mallari” and while offering the corban (nivedyam or offering food)  in temple to the lord in worship is known as “Thaligai Mallari”. Mallari played during the chariot procession is called “Ther Mallari”.

According to nagaswaram exponents, during the time when the deity starts from the abode to the chariot, mallaris are played in Triputa Talam where it is in 4+3 proportion. (Thakadhina- Thakita).  There are other small mallaris too, which are called “Chinna Mallari”.

Mallaris are played strictly for temple rituals.

In conversation with Sri Thiruvizha Jaisanker, the Nagaswaram exponent on the subject:

Mallari is a musical form meant for Nagaswaram. In earlier days, when the backward community people were not allowed to enter the temple premises, and they could worship the lord only when the deity was taken for the rounds on the chariot (in Tamilnadu) or on the elephants (in kerala) Mallari was played on nagaswaram as an indication tune,. Mallari is rendered in Gambheeranattai inorder to bring the Gambheerya rasam on the lord’s face while defending the enemies. And this is the reason why an Alarippu on the thavil precedes the Alapana of gambheeranattai on the nagaswaram. Mostly, Mallaris are played on talas viz, Khanda triputa, Misra Triputa, Sangeerna Triputa, Misra jhampa etc and rarely in adi tala, and various variations of tempo, such as vilambham, Madhyam, Drutham and Tisram etc are also portrayed.