Gīgīpada (Gigipada, Gīgī Pada) singers of the Holeya community (left to right): Yerappa Basavappa Sutagaji, of Kalma Galli (voice and taal or jhāñjh cymbals); Ramachandra Ramappa Dhavale, of Tigadi Galli (voice and daf); and Basappa Gagappa Talwar, of Talwar Galli (voice and tuṇtuṇe). Gigipada singers performed Kannada songs, created by Hulkund Basappa, Purandara Dasa, and Hosur Somappa, at festivals. They sang mystical songs, auspicious songs, and modern songs on sanitation and cleanliness of body and mind.
Two Holeya (Dalit, Pulaya) agricultural women in traditional saris sing back a song, after hearing the song recorded by musicologist A. A. Bake in 1938. The woman on the right wears sacred red and white muttu beads worn only by jogtīs (devadāsīs) (women dedicated to Goddess Renuka/Yellamma). Men wearing white dhotis or navy pants stand behind. The names of four women singing are: Basava Bhimshappa Bharamannavar, Gangavva Shivappa Bharamannavar, Dayamavva Phakirappa Bharamannavar, and Bhimavva Yalapappa.
Eight visible girls (of 18) in bright long skirts and blouses hold hands as they sing and dance in a circle around the image of an elephant (not visible in image), representing the vahana of Goddess Lakshmi, thus worshiping Shakti, the feminine principle.
Nine visible girls (of 18) in bright long skirts and blouses hold hands as they sing and dance in a circle around the image of an elephant (lower right corner of image), representing the vahana of Goddess Lakshmi, thus worshiping Shakti, the feminine principle.
Members of the Basavanneppa Band at a baraat wedding procession. A band member holds a mini Casio keyboard and stands beside a microphone and amplifier attached to a bicycle. They are in front of an Indian Airlines bus. The location is 35/1 Vardhappa Rd., Belgaum 590004.
Village children observe an interview that is happening off-camera between community leaders and ethnomusicology researchers traveling with Nazir Ali Jairazbhoy.
Two children play in an open area of the village bordered by tile-roof homes, with carts, a tree and adults at work. An open sewer is visible on the right.
Left to right: Reverend Adina, of the Holy Name Cathedral with choir members Mr. Divakar Abnes, Mr. Tejappa Peter (violinist, age 74), Mrs. Makalamma Havalad, Mrs. Hinnamma Ajagrni, age 78; Smt. Jeevubai Goni and Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy (behind Smt. Goni). Session at Holy Name Cathedral to playback music recorded by the musicologist A. A. Bake in 1938, and to re-record music performed by the session participants. The participants were brought to the session by the minister, Reverend Adina.
Close-up view of the playing end of a sattakulai multiple-reed aerophone, an earlier version of the longer bari nāgasvaram. Composed of a wooden pipe with ten holes, a brass bell, and a brass staple to attach the reed. Extra reeds hang by strings. Its player Mukkasāmi, age 55, said the sattakulai (cattak kuḻāy) is becoming extinct.
Saraswathi Swaminathan, archivist of the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology, interviews Doreswami, age 80, in Tamil. Doreswami is the grandfather of Mr. K. Bose, the principal of Usilampatty school. The interview was recorded at the Usilampatty Circuit House.
Performance of a dance by the Om Periyaswamy dance troupe at the Tamil Nadu Hotel. Dancer balances a kavadi (small wooden structure with an arch covered with a piece of cloth) on his back while dancing. Blurry photo.
View of a cement statue of a rearing white horse (Kalki ?) with its front hooves resting on the shoulders of a moustached, garlanded statue of female figure (Goddess Kali ?). The rider’s right arm is visible holding stick aloft in his hand. There is a lion statue and two Nandi bull statues at the base of the horse and figure. Two lion statues lie atop the white-and-red-striped walls surrounding the compound. Almost all of the statues are polychrome, with some black statues on lower level of compound. A tall black statue and stele is in front of compound. Paddy fields and a tree are visible in the background; there is a hammer-and-sickle (?) atop a pole. Sheaves of drying grass (?) are hanging from the tree. The numbers “19|3” are visible on a tall pole in front of compound.
View of a cement statue of woman astride rearing white horse, its hooves resting on the heads of two guards holding maces. A third, smaller figure behind them also holds a mace. Three figures stand under the belly of the horse: a male with two right arms, one in an abhaya mudra, and one holding a flame (?) aloft; a female with her left hand near her head; and a young girl with a long braid.
View looking down toward a statue of a rearing white horse, with a cowshed, haystack and green paddy fields visible in background. A bodhi tree with aerial branches and a man in a white turban are in the foreground. Three boys and an elderly man with walking stick walk up the slope toward the man in white turban.
Sixteen visible girls in bright long skirts and blouses stand in a line, some holding hands, with an image of an elephant, representing the vahana of Goddess Lakshmi (thus worshiping Shakti, the feminine principle) on the ground in front of them.
A man in white plays a daf; Haranśikārī (Haran Shikari, Haranshikari) ritualist Chandappa Jampana Kattimani dances with his eyes closed as men, women and children gathered around him watch; Gaekwad, driver of the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology research team, stands and guards villagers.
I. P. Kurusāmi, hereditary temple processional musician, plays a nāgasvaram, a long multiple-reed aerophone. Kurusāmi was a member of a Nāiyāndī Mēḷam ensemble (also known as Periya Nayanam, Kaliyappan Mela Cettu, Urumi (Urumbi, Urummi) Mēḷam).
A. K. Ganesan, hereditary temple processional musician, plays tavil barrel-shaped drum. Ganesan was a member of a Nāiyāndī Mēḷam ensemble (also known as Periya Nayanam, Kaliyappan Mela Cettu, Urumbi (Urummi, Uṟumi) Mēḷam).
Venkatacalam Tevar (aka Pillai), professional singer and tep player, singing “Kaman Pāndigai,” a Tamil lavani genre sung in debate form. He has no sisyas as the form is out of fashion.
Two Holeya (Dalit, Pulaya) agricultural women in traditional saris sing back a song, after hearing the song recorded by musicologist A. A. Bake in 1938. The woman on the right wears sacred red and white muttu beads worn only by jogtīs (devadāsīs) (women dedicated to Goddess Renuka/Yellamma). Men wearing white dhotis or navy pants stand behind. The names of four women singing are: Basava Bhimshappa Bharamannavar, Gangavva Shivappa Bharamannavar, Dayamavva Phakirappa Bharamannavar, and Bhimavva Yalapappa.
Gondhal ceremony--Inauguration of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology. Devotional ritual music to Hindu Goddess Amba. Standing behind a mandhab, vocal ensemble musicians with instruments (left to right): Jagannath Tite (tuṇtuṇe), Bhagvan Renake (jālra), and R. H. Garuda (sambal). A flame, incense and objects are on the left.
Jāgran (Vāghyā Muralī)--Inauguration of the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology. Behind the mandhab, Mānik Bāī gestures and holds a tuṇtuṇe, and a musician sings and plays jālra, during a Jāgran (Hindu ritual): Vāghyā Muralī Jāgran – Marathi devotional ritual music to Hindu deity Khaṇḍobā Goddess Amba. A flame and objects are on the left.
Partly loaded jeep for a field trip, at the entrance to the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology, on the premises of the American Institute of Indian Studies at Deccan College. The head of the driver, Ram Gaekwad, is visible at the back of the jeep. Umashankar Mantravadi, member of the Bake Restudy team, is on the right.
Kalpana Bandiwdekar, Archive Assistant at the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology (left), and Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy at the Archives and Research Center for Ethnomusicology, on the premises of the American Institute of Indian Studies.
At a wedding procession, nine brass players and one clarinetist of the Basavanneppa Band stand alongside an Indian Airlines bus. The Basavanneppa Band includes bass drums (2), side drums (2), snare drums (2), clarinets (3), baritone horns (3), trumpets (4), and tubas (2). The location is 35/1 Vardhappa Rd., Belgaum 590004.
Application of face makeup on Mallakajappa Mallappa Gaddankeri (left) and the younger male actor playing role of Krishna, Mallakajappa Mallappa Gaddankeri, by the troupe leader and actor, Shrimati Mallava Megeri.
Chandappa Jampana Kattimani (mostly off-camera on the left), and other village leaders, one in a green and yellow turban, one in a black fez and one in a red turban, with villagers behind them.
On the day of an enactment of the folk tale about Lord Krishna, his two wives, and the magical pārijāt tree, the Mallava Megeri Krishna Pārijāta Company poses outdoors on a dhurrie carpet, with actors Shrimati Mallava Megeri, troupe leader, holding a doll; Gudusab Nadat Khajidoni; and Mallakajappa Mallappa Gaddankeri (Krishna); and with musicians Krishnaji Varad Tulasigiri (tablā); Hanuman Mastar (harmonium); and Ramanna Sonshi (taal).
Chandappa Jampana Kattimani’s young grandson in red shorts rises while dancing ecstatically with his father’s help. Kattimani smiles and watches. Other Haranśikārī (Haran Shikari, Haranshikari) watch. An altar of three bricks and ashes is in the foreground. At Gangadhar Nagar.
Chandappa Jampana Kattimani bends forward as he chants. His sons and village men, women and children listen. One son looks into camera. At Gangadhar Nagar.
Induced enactment of a Haranśikārī (Haran Shikari, Haranshikari) ritual dance. A man in white plays a daf frame drum, a bearded man dances while holding a sword above his head with both hands. The sword is a Haranśikārī cultural symbol. At Gangadhar Nagar.
Chandappa Jampana Kattimani’s young grandson dances. An elderly woman joins ecstatic dancing. Young men in sarongs and jeans watch. At Gangadhar Nagar.
A man in white plays a daf, a bearded man dances while holding a sword in both hands, and a second man holds sword upright while dancing. Women and children watch. At Gangadhar Nagar.