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Construction of the Pancha Mukha Vadyam

In June 2001 Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research , Pondicherry, commissioned mizhavu maker Mr. Subramanium of Irinjalakuda, to construct a five- faced mizhavu. This was done after the entire Adishakti team visited the Thyagaraja Temple at Thiruvaroor, Tamil Nadu, along with Mr. Subramanium, to investigate and research the panch mukha vadiyam, an instrument, which some sources say has genealogical connections with the Koodiyattam mizhavu . This thousand year old instrument, the only original one of its kind in existence and an instrument intimately linked to the ritual performance-aesthetic of temple dancers, is still used in this temple albeit now only for ritual purposes.

Sri Ramanujam of Tanjavur University, organized for Adishakti to view and study the instrument at the Temple, to interact with the performer of the instrument, Mr. Selvaraj, and to also have an interface with Tillakkamma, a 76 year old former devadasi whose maternal line has long been linked with the Thiruvaroor temple. Tillakkamma's inputs provided Adishakti with the aesthetic context within which this instrument must have been used in the past at Thiruvaroor.

Adishakti unveiled the first proto type of the five- faced mizhavu on the 3.10.2001 at the Sangeeth Natak Akademi, Natya Griha, Trichur at 5 pm in the course of a demonstration of some of Adishakti's performances.

Adishakti had chosen to unveil this instrument in Kerala because of the ramifications it could have in the practice of Koodiyattam performance.

Adishakti views the construction of the first prototype by Mr. Subramanium as only one exploration in a long series, which will finally result in the reconstruction of the pancha mukha vadiyam as it exists in Thiruvaroor. The variance between the present prototype and the original at Thiruvaroor is in the materials used and the processes followed. The prototype uses materials and processes followed in the making of the mizhavu in Kerala. The pancha mukha vadiyam uses bronze casting and deer- skin for its surfaces. Adishakti wants to explore other materials and other processes as well so as to release knowledges connected to sound and its sources.

The construction of this instrument while contributing to Adishakti's contemporary performance practice by deepening its understanding of sound, will also hopefully contribute towards enriching Koodiyattam practice. In the longer term we hope through an exact reconstruction of the original pancha mukha vadiyam to release, highlight and further investigate its forgotten potential, thus rescuing old knowledge systems involved in its construction, from fading away without a trace.