The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c9.213

c9.213

At the time of the Kâma festival in honour of the Indian god of love, special lavanies called Saval are sung. The words of these are sung by two parties—one called Turai and the other Kalki—intended to represent the god Krishna and his mistress Radha. Questions of a metaphorical nature are sung by one party and answered by the other. These were formerly sung extempore, but their performance is now usually rehearsed beforehand. This species of entertainment is also practised in Northern India under the name of Kabi.