What is Thamil Isai?
by K.S. Sivakumaran
The Thamil word for Music is "Isai". It is also known as "Sangeetham". Carnatic music is associated with the music of the Dravidians (Thamilians, Telugus, Kannadigas, Malayalees and the others of the southern regions of India).Some researchers say that Carnatic music evolved from Thamil Isai (meaning music of the Thamilians).
To know more about Thami Isai I picked up the special issue (46-47 –March 2008) of the journal Oalai published by the Kolumbu Thamil Sangam. I must congratulate the editorial board consisting of Dr V. Maheswaran, Dr A. Jinnah Sharifudin, K. Raghuparan and Vasanthi Thayaparan who in turn turned to a consultant board of knowledgeable people in the caliber of Prof. Saba Jeyarasa, A. Raghupathy Bala Sridharan, S. Sivaloganathan, K.Shanmugalingam and Pathma Somakanthan. Incidentally the journal's editor is T.Mathusoothanan.
According to the editor the pioneer researcher on Thamil Isai was Pandit Abraham, but he also mentions that Swami Vipulananda was also involved in music research! The editor is gracious enough to add list some of the books in Thamil on Thamil Isai.
For the general information of interested readers, here are the resources:
Karnamitha Saagaram ( Pandit Abraham),Yarl Nool (Swami Vipulananda), Silapathikara Isai Nunukka Vilakkam(S. Ramanathan), five volumes of Then Inthiya Isai (Sambamurthy), Thamil Isai Valam , Thamil Isai Iyal, Thamil Isaik Kalanjiyam (V.P.K. Sundaram). One thing more –Photos of Pandit Abraham and Swami Vipulananda adorn the front cover of the magazine which is available from the Kolumbu Thamil Sangam at 7, 57th Lane (Rudra Mawatha), Colombo 06.
The magazine has excellent articles relating to Thamil Isai. Let me translate into English the Thamil titles of the essays: Music-Language-Society: an expression of relationship (Prof. Saba Jeyarasa), Researcher Pandit Abraham (T. Mathusoothanan), Research on Ancient Thamil Isai (Swami Vipulananda), an excerpt of a speech delivered by Swami Vipulanada on the cantos Arangeattu Kaathai, Yaarl Nool - a research encyclopedia of Thamil Music (Dr E. Balasundaram), The Beginning of Thamil Music in the Arena of World Music (Prof.S.K.Sivapalan). The Researcher on Thamil Music V.P.K.Sundaram (Thurai Madan), Movement for Thamil Song (Prof V. Arasu), Was Carnatic Music cribbed from Thamil Isai?( P.Vealsamy), Musicians from Alavai (Alaveddi) (C.Kanthasamy), Melting oneself Singing( Vasanthi Thayaparan), Islamic Bards (S.Sivakumar), Pleasure of Music (M.Dhandapaani Desigar), Lyricists that wrote'Kerthanais' in Thamil (Vasanthi Thayaparan), and The Thing that is Music (S.Subramania Bharathi).
This monograph carrying researched material on Thamil Music by varied hands is really worthwhile publication.
An introduction of personages that received this year's honours for their outstanding contributors to Thamil Studies is by S.Sivasubramaniam. The recipients were E.K. Kanthasamy, S.M.Hanifa and Dr Sangarapillai Nagendtran
It also includes as plus features Quotes on Thamil Isai, Keerthanais and poems.
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