The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c10.27

c10.27

In the time of the Mogul Empire, we learn from the “Ain-i-Akbari,”⁵ the Nahabet was held in great esteem, and the Emperor Akbar himself was even a performer. There were then in the palace Nakkera Khaneh some eighteen large Nahabets, twenty smaller kettledrums (Nakkeras), four Dohl, four Kurna or large trumpets, nine Surnais or pipes similar to the Nâgasâra, and their accompanying drones, two S’ring or horns, and three pairs of cymbals of large size, besides several Nafirs (a smaller kind of trumpet, similar to the Tuturi); and in those days the performances of the Nahabet occupied a prominent place in the daily palace routine. The general practice then was that the Nahabet played first at midnight and the second time at dawn. An hour before sunrise the musicians commenced to play the Surnais, an hour later there was a short prelude, which in turn was followed by pieces introducing the Kurna, Nafir, and other wind instruments, with the occasional use of the largest drum of all (Damama or Nahabet), but which did not introduce the Nakkera. After this the Surnais and Nafirs were played alone; an hour later there was a general crescendo, and then followed seven distinct performances, brought to a conclusion by the chanting of various prayers for blessings upon the Emperor, and then the day’s service was finished by the Surnais players playing softly to a *pianissimo* of the drums.