URUMI MELAM

One of the essential part of taking kavadi is the accompanying music, Urumi Melam. Urumi Melam ensembles usually consist of a pair of double headed drums called Pambai, one to three Urumi drums, one or two Thavil, Jalra and sometimes Sangu.

Urumi
is a double-headed hourglass-shaped drum from the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. Two skin heads are attached to a single hallow, often intricately carved wooden shell. The preferred wood is jackwood, although other wood may be used. Both left and right heads are usually made from cow hide that is stretched around a thin metal ring (sometimes lizard skin is used for the right head). The outer circumference of each head is perforated with approximately seven to eight holes. The two heads are held in tension by a continuous rope that is woven around the drum in a V-shape pattern. Additional small coils of string or metal are tied around each pair of ropes near the left head. These coils can be slide horizontally along the length of the drum, increasing or decreasing the tension between the heads as necessary.

Thavil
is a barrel shaped drum from South India. It is used in temple, folk and Carnatic music, often accompanying the nadaswaram. The thavil consists of a cylindrical shell hollowed out of a solid block of jackfruit wood. Layers of animal skin (water buffalo on the right, goat on the left) are stretched across the two sides of the shell using hemp hoops attached to the shell. The right face of the instrument has a larger diameter than the left side, and the right drum head is stretched very tightly, while the left drum head is kept loose to allow pitch bending. The larger face is higher in pitch than the smaller face.

Pambai
is a pair of cylindrical drums used in temple festivals and folk music in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, India. This unit of two drums is held near the waist of the player and beaten with stick. Normally one drum is made of wood and the other of brass: the wooden one is known as veeru vanam and the metal drum as vengala pambai which carries two different tone of sound.

Jalra
is a pair of small hand cymbals. They often accompany folk or devotional music. It is used in various religious ceremonies of India, especially bhajans. Jalra are usually made of bronze, brass, copper zinc or Bell metal and connected with a rope/thick string which passes through holes in their center. They produce a rhythmic tinkling sound when struck together. The sound's pitch varies according to their size, weight and the material of their construction. A player can also adjust the timbre by varying the point of contact while playing.

Sangu
They are prepared by cutting a hole in the spire of the Shell near the apex, and then blowing into the shell as if it was a trumpet, as in blowing horn. This shell is used as an important ritual object in Hinduism. The shell is used as a ceremonial trumpet, as part of religious practices, for example puja. The chank trumpet is sounded during worship at specific points, accompanied by ceremonial bells and singing.

TYPES OF KAVADI

THOL KAVADI
The thol kavadi usually consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are bent and attached to a cross structure that can be balanced on the shoulders of the devotee. It is often decorated with flowers, peacock(the vehicle of God Murugan) feathers among other things.

PAAL KAVADI
Carrying a brass pot of milk on their heads as offerings for their deity.

MAYIL/SHADAL KAVADI
The most spectacular practice is the Mayil/Shadal kavadi, essentially a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers or sometimes coloured and carved polystyrene and attached to the devotee through 108 vels/spears pierced into the skin on the chest and back.

ALAVU KAVADI
Mortification of the flesh by piercing the tongue or cheeks with vel/spear is also common. The vel/spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance.

VETTE MULLE
This type of kavadi involve hooks pierced into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated chariot.

KOODAM MULLE
Small hooks pierced to the skin where pots of milk/vibuthi/sandhanam/kumkum are tied to it as an offering to their deity, some may also tie fruits to the hooks.

THEE MEETHI 
Fire walking may also be practiced, common during temple festivals, for the demi god Ayya's and Amma's.

It is said that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind.

KAVADI

The kavadi is steeped in mythology. At Mount Kailash, Lord Shiva entrusted the dwarf saint sage Agastya with two hillocks, the Shivagiri Hill and the Shaktigiri Hill, with instructions to carry and install them in South India. The sage left them in a forest and later asked his disciple, Idumban, to get them. Idumban found the two hillocks but could not initially lift them, until he obtained divine help.

Near Palani in South India, where there is a famous shrine of Murugan. Idumban put the hillocks down to rest awhile. When he attempted to continue with his journey, he found that the hillocks were immovable. Idumban sought the help of a scantily dressed youth, but the youth claimed the hillocks belonged to him. In the ensuing scuffle, Idumban was defeated. Idumban then realised that the youth was Lord Murugan. At this stage, Muruga had been outwitted in a contest for going round the world where his brother Ganapati had won the prized fruit. In anger, the frustrated child left the divine parents and came down to Tiru Avinankudi at the Adivaram (pronounced Adivâram and means foot of the Sivagiri Hill). Siva pacified Him by saying that He (Subrahmanya) Himself was the fruit (pazham) of all wisdom and knowledge. Later, Murugan withdrew to the hill and settled there as a recluse in peace and solitude.

Muruga had made it impossible for Idumban to lift the hillocks. In the fierce battle that ensued, Idumban was killed but was later on restored to life. Idumban prayed that whoever carried on his shoulders the kavadi, signifying the two hills  and visited the temple on a vow should be blessed and that He (Idumban)should be given the privilege of standing sentinel at the entrance to the hill. Hence the Idumban shrine is halfway up the hill where every pilgrim is expected to offer obeisance to Idumban before entering the temple of Dandâyudhapani. Since then, pilgrims to Palani bring their offerings on their shoulders in a kavadi. The custom has spread from Palani to all Muruga shrines worldwide.