Nadaswaram (Nagaswaram, Nadhaswaram, Nathaswaram)
VEGANThe South Indian nadaswaram is an extremely powerful double reed instrument. Due to its intense volume and strength it is basically an outdoor instrument. The fingering is similar to that of the Indian flute, but the pitch can also be altered by changing the pressure of lips an air to articulate half notes and micro intervals.
The nadaswaram can be considered the larger brother of the North Indian shehnai. It is traditionally played at temple feasts under open sky. Its penetrating and far carrying tone makes it an ideal partner for duets with the powerful South Indian barrel drum thavil. has been made popular in the West by legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie Mariano, who has studied nadaswaram in South India and used it in many of his concerts and recordings.
Double reeds, body made of ebony or similar dark hardwood with conical bore and wooden bell (Keezh Anaichu) at the lower end, metal staple (Mel Anaichu) with metallic cylinder (Kendai) for the reeds, seven finger-holes for diatonic scale, five additional holes at the bottom as controllers, range of two and a half octaves, including horn / plastic needle for clearing the reeds.
In South Indian Hindu culture, the nadaswaram is considered to be very auspicious, and it is a key musical instrument played in almost all Hindu weddings and temples of the South Indian tradition. It is usually played in pairs, and accompanied by a pair of drums called thavil.
Our nadaswarams are supplied by our partner Paloma from Mumbai, who buys them from craftsmen in South India.
PALOMA is the international brand name for instruments made by Haribhau Vishwanath from Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Haribhau Vishwanath was founded in 1925 as a small repair business and developed into one of the leading Indian harmonium manufacturers in the course of decades. In addition, Haribhau Vishwanath makes shrutiboxes, santoors, swarmandals and some drums. Haribhau Vishwanath is also an active musical instrument trader and supplies us with some rarely demanded instruments where a direct purchase from the manufacturer is not profitable. Thanks to his good infrastructure and long experience with instrument manufacturing, trading and international shipping, Haribhau currently supplies all common harmonium models and many other instruments constantly in a high quality regarding workmanship. In addition, he excels through attractive innovations, like e.g. the harmonium Compactina or a particular silk-mat finish. Haribhau Vishwanath is a partner of India Instruments since 2005. Today the company is run by Ashish Diwane.
Measure: length 87 cm
Each instrument is individually hand-crafted and might differ from our description.