Nagaswara

Nagaswaram is a South Indian wind instrument. It is accorded a high status as a Mangala vadya (auspicious instrument) and plays an important role in South Indian temple rituals. Reference to nagaswaram can be found in Ahobala’s Sangeet Parijaat (1650 AD). It is made of black wood of a tree known as Achameram, with seven playing holes and five auxillary ones. The instrument ensemble with nagaswaram is called pedda melam or peria melam.