Chenda

Chenda & Chenda Koll

Chenda, is a drumming instrument widely used in the state of Kerala. A Chenda is made of wood in the form of a cylinder. Both the sides of this wooden cylinder is covered with animal skin. The inside of this cylinder is hollow.  The Chenda is always accompanied with a Chenda Koll or the sticks that are used to play the Chenda. The Chenda Koll and the Chenda come together to create percussive music. Here is a short narration of this cadence between a Chenda and the Chenda Koll. 

The Chenda is void of substance within hence he responds thunderously to every prodding of the Chenda Koll. The Chenda Koll believes that only she can produce any effect from the Chenda. She teases, taunts, stimulates and hurts the Chenda. The Chenda responds unflinchingly to all her fracas. As the Chenda Koll, whips him with her anger…the Chenda gets cacophonous. Even when Chenda makes a herculean expression of his hurt, the Chenda Koll is never tired of reiterating the whips again and again. She takes genuine pleasure in tormenting the Chenda.

The feeble Chenda Koll enjoys being in control of the strong Chenda. Unfortunately, she never realizes even then that the Chenda is so thick skinned and hollow that nothing can actually hurt him. He just fakes and masks his expression with new voices to please the Chenda Koll. He pretends with his distressing hollers.

When it gets too deafening, Chenda Koll gradually decreases her strident rhythm, just to keep the Chenda from getting torn and the Chenda reciprocates pleasantly with his subtle drumming voice of raindrops on the plantain leaf. Pretty soon the Chenda Koll gets bored with the mellowing Chenda and gets back to her high-strung pulse and lo there! .. he goes the Chenda again counterfeiting a painful melody.

Chenda and Chenda Koll are at war always for making music. The music they make comes only from the painful frictions of their constantly cadenced interactions. Nevertheless, each believes to be the creator of music. The insensitive Chenda Koll believes she is the maker of music and the cunningly humble Chenda knows that without him the Chenda Koll goes nowhere.  Individually they pride in themselves…. yet blissfully they forget that they form music only when they rest in the hands of the drummer.