The Music of Hindostan c8.s1.22

c8.s1.22

In the Tamil Pura-Nānnuru (first centuries A. D.) the drum, kept in every chieftain's palace, was treated almost as a lesser divinity.¹ It reposed on a luxurious couch, was constantly cleaned, rubbed with perfumed earth, and garlanded. When used as the prelude to one of the ruler's proclamations it was carried on an elephant. The poet, Nośikaranār, relates how one day he had wandered into the courtyard of the palace and saw the ornamented and cushioned couch on which the royal drums were usually placed. The drums had gone to be cleaned and anointed, and he threw himself on the unoccupied couch and fell fast asleep. The king came by with his courtiers who expected to see the intruder meet with condign punishment. But the king took up a fan and cooled the sleeper's forehead with it till he awoke; and the poet's comment is: