ALAPPUZHA: The traditional musical instrument of Kompu (C-shaped horn) used in Kerala temples had a close resemblance to the European musical tradition thought to be dead about 2,000 years ago. This is the finding of a study done by Billy Ó Foghlú, an Irish PhD student of Australian National University (ANU) College of Asia-Pacific.
The research paper, which has been published by the Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology, says the findings proved that Europe and Kerala had a lively cultural exchange with musicians from different cultures sharing independently-developed technology and musical styles.
In an e-mail interaction with DC on Friday, Mr Ó Foghlú explained that this exchange could have happened between two continents during the maritime trade along South India 2,000 years ago. “A foreign diaspora would probably have spent a significant period of time away from their lands in India. Both musical records can complement each other. In Kerala today, such instruments are still made to play an important role in temple music and it’s like looking back in time,” he says.
The C-shaped Kompu being used as part of temple music in Kerala was identical in terms of sound and materials to those used in Bronze Age and Iron Age in Europe, known as ‘Lurs’ in Scandinavia. He was inspired by the subject after seeing a carving in Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, which depicts two musicians playing carnyces, distinctive long bronze Celtic horns featuring an animal's head.
Bronze casting was used to make Kompu, similar to the method used by the Europeans to make Lurs (by using interlocking cast-bronze segments), 2,500 years ago, he says.
