இசைக்கருவிகளின் இயங்கியல்

The Dynamics of Musical Instruments

Abstract

Geographic culture profoundly shapes food, clothing, occupations, customs, and, importantly, the arts and artistic creations. Migration and environmental shifts drive changes in art forms, including musical instruments, adapting them to new surroundings. The genesis, evolution, adaptation, and obsolescence of musical instruments are influenced by factors such as local environment, natural resources, prevalent customs, and dominant industries. Therefore, close observation of these transformations in musical instruments is crucial. Just as living organisms possess unique anatomies and biological traits, adapting and evolving over generations to ensure survival (as evidenced by both extinct creatures like dinosaurs and endangered species), musical instruments undergo a similar process of creation, development, and potential disappearance. This dynamic process invites a comparison between musical instrument evolution and Darwin's theory of evolution. This article explores how this dynamic manifests in Tamil musical instruments, particularly percussion instruments ("Thannumai"), through the lens of biological evolution, drawing evidence from relevant literature.