Tānpurā & OM
This is a section of a larger article written in 2022. I’m publishing this here now, since it’s a useful base for many other observations.
Dhrupad musicians sing (or play their instrument) with the sole accompaniment of the Tānpurā. While other forms of Indian classical music use instruments like harmonium, violin, sarangi etc., Dhrupad musicians focus solely on the Tānpurā. My Guru would often say that the Tānpurā is the true Guru for every Dhrupad practitioner. I often feel Dhrupad is not music in the conventional sense. It is simply an attempt to find a sense of union with the Tānpurā – and through this quest, find union with the supreme consciousness within each one of us. The output of this process happens to be ‘music’, that we can listen to and enjoy. But the quest is something deeper.
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In this section, we’ll look at what makes the Tānpurā so special. We’ll also look at it’s connection with the Omkār. The Tānpurā is a true marvel of Indian engineering! It is essentially a 4-stringed instrument that functions as a sort of drone instrument, with the 4 strings continuously plucked in succession. Of course, it doesn’t sound like 4 strings being plucked in succession (unless one is familiar with the sound, and/ or listens very carefully). It sounds more like an uninterrupted continuum of sound. The middle 2 strings are tuned to middle ‘Sa’, or the tonic, or the reference note. The first string is tuned to the lower ‘Pa’, or the 5th (in the lower octave). The fourth string is tuned to the low ‘Sa’, one octave below. We thus get the harmonics (resonance) of the lower and middle regions through these. Then we have the bridge of the instrument where the true magic happens. The placement of the tiny thread in between the string and bridge creates the kind of buzz that we hear – which comes through an amplification of all the upper harmonics. Added to this is the resonant design of the instrument itself which enhances the quality of the vibrations. The resonating chamber is a special kind of pumpkin gourd, and the hollowed out wooden body of the instrument that holds the strings. This confluence of the lower, middle and upper harmonics that are enhanced by the make of the instrument is what makes the magic happen.
‘Īśvarapraṇidhāna’ is an important practice in the system of Yoga; one that Maharishi Patañjali himself highlights multiple times in the Yoga Sutrās. After. defining the phenomenon of ‘Īśvara’ as the utmost potential that the consciousness can manifest, he says ‘tasya vācakaḥ praṇavaḥ’. Is there a designated sound for this ‘Īśvara’? One that carries with it a sense of what it is indicating. That sound is the Praṇava, or the Om. Om comprises of 3 syllables – Ā, U & M. The physiological manifestation of the 3 syllables are perceivable through the prominence of vibrations/ resonance in the abdomen and below for ‘Ā’ through the lower harmonics, the chest and surroundings for ‘U’ through the middle harmonics, and the head region for ‘M’ through the upper harmonics. This is much more clearly felt with the spine erect, and when the mind is rested, yet alert. The harmonisation of the vibrations along the vertical spinal column that arise out of the Omkar result in a harmonious state of being, first at the physiological level – which extends to deeper levels of being fairly quickly.
Having understood this, the relevance of the Tānpurā as the base for singing Dhrupad becomes clear. When we try to use our voice to find union with the Tānpurā, which is tuned to our natural voice range, we are essentially practicing the Omkar, no matter what we sing! Singing with the Tānpurā requires us to feel and perceive the flow of sound in the body along the vertical column of the spine, and the body needs to be in full harmony for the voice to resonate effectively with the Tānpurā. Awareness and involvement of/ with this phenomenon can elevate the process of singing to the practice of Īśvarapraṇidhāna. It is an approach to singing that needs to be cultivated gradually. Eventually, even the most intricate of melodies manage to retain this quality, and this has been my usual experience whenever I listen to my Gurus sing.
The voice culture is thus one of the most important aspects of Dhrupad, and this is the foundation for building the voice projection. My Guru once jokingly said that the Tānpurā is the biggest problem maker in Dhrupad – since it forces you to sing a certain way in order to find this state of union. I have struggled to find the right voice balance, and am still in the process of discovering it more deeply. But I realise that the solution lies just in a confluence of simplicity/ ease and heightened awareness. There is nothing else needed. It is just that our mind sometimes makes things more complex than they are, and we may end having to take a convoluted path to a very natural and simple destination.
