Murasu
Nagara murasu | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Percussion |
| Developed | Tamil Nadu, India |
The murasu (Tamil: முரசு) is a type of drum that originated in Tamil Nadu, India several centuries ago.[1][2]
Three types of Murasu are known.[3]
- Veera Murasu (martial drum), a kettle drum used for military purposes. It may be mounted on a tall platform called a Murasu Kattil.
- Thyaga Murasu (charity drum), a drum used when giving gifts, also used to invite poor people to receive goods.
- Nyāya Murasu (judgement drum), a drum used to call people to judicial proceedings or to submit their grievances requiring judgement.
The murasu was used for disseminating information during the ancient period, as mentioned in the Sangam Literature. It must have been used to inform people about natural disasters too.[4]
See also
References
- ^ "மனித நோய் தீர்க்கும், மயக்கும் ராகங்கள் (கட்டுரை)".
- ^ "Secular and sacred". The Hindu. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
- ^ Krishnaswami, S. (1967). "Drums of India through the Ages". The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras. 38: 73. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- ^ Lakshmi, K. (28 April 2020). "Tropical cyclone gets Tamil name". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 14 February 2026.