Music is a central tenet of almost every culture. It's not just a form of entertainment, but a manifestation of a community’s values and way of life. Instruments, then, act as a vessel for cultural storytelling — the guitar, for example, can be traced back to 4-stringed Tanburs made in Persia, which evolved over centuries through the passage of cultural knowledge until the Spanish developed the acoustic guitar and, years later, the American jazz artists pioneered its electric counterpart.
The Yazh, a Tamil harp-like instrument, finds its roots over 3000 years ago. With a long, arched neck, the Yazh was built in resemblance of the Yali, a mythological creature who acted as the guardian of temples. Its significance to ancient Tamil Nadu cannot be understated, with references to the instrument peppered throughout much of Sangham-era literature. And yet, despite its cultural relevance, the last few centuries saw the Yazh face extinction. Found only behind glass cases at museums, an instrument that once held so much weight was eventually forgotten.
When Tharun Sekar, an architecture student turned-luthier, realised the Yazh had almost faded into obscurity, he made it his mission to bring it back. Sekar dove into ancient Tamil works like Tholkappiyam — the oldest available Tamil text — to find descriptions of the Yazh. By perusing the verses of these ancient texts, Sekar and his company, Uru Custom Instruments, remade the Yazh, bringing back a piece of history that could have been lost forever.
Based in Chennai, Uru’s mission is to preserve Indian cultural heritage by honouring our folk instruments. Their work taps into our cultural narratives and applies them within a modern context, bridging the past with the present. Rather than gatekeeping these ancient instruments, Uru takes a multi-pronged approach in order to make their preservation efforts accessible to the general public.
To start with, Uru Custom Instruments has five different variations of Yazh available for purchase, each derived from regional traditions across Tamil Nadu. They have also revitalised the Kudamuzha, an ancient Tamil percussive instrument that was often played alongside the Yazh. Uru Palli, a branch of Uru Instruments, offers live classes and workshops that teach people precisely how to play the Yazh and the Kudamuzha, while explaining their storied histories along the way.
Lastly, Sekar has put together a group of musicians, Uru Panaar, who blend these ancient instruments with contemporary sounds, broadening their musical appeal to the public. This approach allows us to imagine a world in which this ancient knowledge wasn’t momentarily lost, showing us how India’s regional cultures and folk traditions can flourish.
Learn more about Uru Custom Instruments here.
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