Ghatam – Accompany the Taala of Carnatic Music

Ghatam is the South Indian sibling of the Matka or Ghara - the earthen pot referred to in the musical world as the madga in north India. Ghatam is one of the rhythmic duos of Taala in Carnatic music, the other being Mridangam. The rhythms reverberating in its clay trace a musical history from the ancient to the present.

An Indian Maestro playing the Ghatam    Source: ipassio.com

The word Ghatam derives from a combination of the Sanskrit word for pot – Ghataka, and the Tamil Kudam meaning a water pot. This earthen musical pot has accompanied the rhythmic taala at temples and various rituals of south India for centuries. Even the ancient epics like Ramayana roughly dated 500 CE, and their subsidiary texts like Krishna Ganam, mention the ghatam. For example, the Krishna folk tales narrate about the cowherds accompanying Krishna’s flute, with their music on the earthen pots. Many Sanskrit texts have mentioned this earthen instrument while describing taala, including the Silappatikaram in Tamil.

Ghatam comes under the idiophone (the whole of which vibrates to produce a sound when struck) instruments because the entire pot vibrates to produce sound depending on the fillings in its hollow.

The rounded earthen pot has a narrow opening giving the instrument a body and a narrow neck leading to the mouth with an outer rim, while each of these parts produces a different pitch(shruti) when it is struck. Usually made of clay and mud, they are also made in variants with a mix of metals like copper or brass.

Though the musical pot is made in Davanahalli near Bangalore or Chennai, the musicians prefer the special ones made at Manamadurai in Tamil Nadu. The clay used seems to be special and the Ghatam made here are thicker, heavier, and have a mix of tiny shards of brass mixed in the clay material.

The Making of Ghatam – 1              Source: ghatamudupa.com

Drying of the moulded Clay         Source: ghatamudupa.com

Final Shaping of Ghatam     Source: ghatamudupa.com

The most unique feature of a ghatam is that its manufacturing process is totally eco-friendly as it does not involve any wood or animal skin. Also, all the elements of the Pancha bhutas associated with the Indian concept of the universe, go into the making. Clay (Earth) is kneaded with salt-free rainwater (Water) and baked which involves the third element Fire and the Air is associated with regulating the temperature, drying, etc. The fifth element is Ether which resides in the perfect rounded hollow shape of the pot and is traditionally considered inherent to sound.

The earliest Ghatams may have been a membranophone with skin sealing the mouth of the ghatam. But from the 6th century, there is no mention of any layer on the ghatam making it turn into an idiophone. There are descriptions of the players of ghatam as the jesters in ancient groups of Carnatic music by throwing the pot in the air and catching it back in time to stay tuned to the rhythm. Thus it was secondary to earlier, but for the past century, its status as a solo instrument has been rocking the world of music.

Catching Ghatam thrown in the air by Jesters of Carnatic Music.    Source: ghatamudupa.com

The mechanics of ghatam make them a treat to explore different ensembles. The musical pots are often filled with water or clay putty to give different shrutis along with the differences when they are struck on the three parts of it. The players create different resonances of sound by changing the position of the ghatam. The major difference between the north Indian versions of this instrument and the south Indian is, that in Carnatic music the players hold the ghatam with the mouth pressed against their stomach, while in the north the pots are held upright when struck. Even the hands used to strike the ghatam have unique sections to complete an ensemble piece, like using just fingers or the palm or even metallic rings to evoke special pitches.

Maestro players use ghatams of different sizes in a single ensemble of musical treats.

When the young ones learn to play a ghatam, they have to learn through the bols of Carnatic music which help them achieve the designated sounds. There are 7 musical sections to play this earthen instrument like the sur of Indian music. They are Tha, Thi, Tham, Nom, Ti, Kun and Na. So, let us strike the chords of our historical intrigue through the staccato taala of the Ghatam and mould the ancient heritage of music through the unique laya in Indian clay.