THE DRUMBEAT OF PREJUDICE

Tucked away i nt o a cor ner of an ol d bui l di ng, hi dden behi nd an i nsi pi d br own door , i s a smal l squar e r oom col our ed i n shades of bl ue.
Sever al phot os of Gods f r om t he Hi ndu pant heon, ador n t he wal l s. Pi eces of wood and sheet s of l eat her , i n di f f er ent st ages of pr epar at i on
ar e st r ewn acr oss t he f l oor . Hundr eds of mr i dangams ar e made her e, but none of t hem ar e pl ayed.
 ISOLATION

The cramped-up room smells of jackfruit wood, which is used to make the
base of the instrument. Stone from the bottom of the rivers in Tamil Nadu
are used to make a black paste which are flattened atop the instrumaent
for its tonal sound. The father-son duo’s precision, mirrors their passion
for the instrument. When Edwin tunes the instrument it seems like a
prelude to a performance. ‘Maestros used to tell me that I have a sense of
musicality. They said my hands are fit to play. But when I asked them to
teach me, they refused.’
HIDDEN IN THE DETAILS
 The making of the instrument that the family has
devoted five generations to, requires dealing with
leather. Conservative Hindu ideology terms leather-
workers as ‘ chamaars’ or untouchables.

Edwins’ grandfather, Antony, a well known mridangam

maker of his time, received praise but not the much-
deserved respect.  After diligent crafting of the instrument,
he would be prohibited from entering a brahmins house for
delivery. They would abstain from touching him and hence
leave the payment on the floor.
DEVOTED TO LEATHER, BETRAYED BY LEATHER
When Edwin walks into his home, he not only embraces his wife, but also his true identity. He no longer tries to
blend in. The rooms are airy, and the colour of the walls, a calm blue. The family is at ease with photos of Jesus and
mother Mary on the walls.
 Every morning, society forcefully throws a veil of caste and religion over
Edwin. The sound of the temple bell follows him to his workplace. People
PERSEVERANCE around, view him through a lens that is skewed with norms. He converted
his colleagues’ and seniors’ animosity into trust and appreciation, through
his perseverance. Perseverance too, has a rhythm of its own.
The s ound of hi s wor ds r es onat e l ouder t han t hat of bas el es s pr ej udi ce. ‘ I mi ght not be abl e t o pl ay t he i ns t r ument , but
when I have chi l dr en, I wi l l make s ur e t hat t hey do.’