Post News Network
BHUBANESWAR:Orissa which is rich in culture has a history of music utilising ethnic instruments right from prehistoric times. The melodious notes of pastoral Oriya music can be heard from the mendicants and wandering Sadhus from one locality to another in the countryside. The songsters using lyrics from Champu and Chhand accompanying a spike fiddle, called Kendera (in local parlance), depict a vivid picture of typical rural Orissa. Oriss Post comes across Jagannath Natha, one such sadhu at Kusumati village in Jatni.
Natha, born in February 1949, to late parents Surendra Nath and Pika Dei at Sudarsanpur village in Balasore district, was deeply in love with Kendera from early childhood. He was fascinated to play the stringed instrument as his father used to gather alms while playing the instrument. The family belonged to the Gorekhnath community, whose chief avocation was begging from door to door by singing hymns of “Govind Tika”, authored by saint poet Yashwant Das, one of the Panchasakhas of classical Oriya literature. In fact, on being questioned why he chose the Kendera
medium, an extinct musical instrument, Natha says, “Playing the Kendera is not very easy as one can acquire it with ‘‘interest”.
The Gorekhnath Shiva community, these days has abandoned begging. Hence, the ageold musical instrument is slowly disintegrating from Oriya music scenario.
The instrument is normally made from coconut shell. It is attached to the skin of godhi (a monitor lizard) which is produces vibration when tied to the strings. A bamboo stick is used for bow called kamani with which Kendera is played. The kamani strings are made from horse hair and a gum is used to keep it flexible. Even the street singer keeps blessing sterile women or sick children in the villages. “So, it’s quite disheartening to see this amazing musical instrument being played by rural sadhus disintegrating into history as the community has abandoned begging,’’ Natha laments
