CHENNAI, INDIA, November 5, 2019 (Deccan Chronicle): Taking a cue from Nobel laureate C. V. Raman who did an in-depth study into the harmonics of mridangam and published papers in 1920, eminent percussionist Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and scientists Dr. T. Ramasamy and Dr. M. D. Naresh have done new and extensive research for their book “Musical Excellence of Mridangam.”” It will be released by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and the first copy will be received by Governor Banwarilal Purohit at CLRI auditorium in the city on Tuesday evening.
It all started in the early 20th century when some Western scientists interested in music said Indian percussion instruments don’t have harmonics. Their comments left a lasting impact on C. V. Raman who decided to understand the physics behind the mridangam and find out the innate beauty and aesthetics of the percussion instrument. With his keen observations and study, sans modern gadgets, he found that the mridangam produces five harmonics that contribute to the musical quality of the instrument. The three authors are confident that their new research will be a reference book to students of percussion and scientists who want to analyse the finer aspects of the instrument.
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