Introduction to Doli Koya Music and the Koya Tribe

Overview of the Koya Tribe

Koya is one of the largest tribal communities of Southern Indian states of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, who mainly lives in the forest areas of Godavari basin. Telangana: They are mainly located in the Khammam district and Warangal district (erstwhile). Though predominantly settled agriculturists, Koyas follow a semi-nomadic mode of life and collect forest produce for sustenance.Home and settlement The Koyas live in the very interior, more so in the Eastern Ghats; the hills and forests have greatly influenced their habits. Their villages, or gudems, are commonly tiny, with bamboo and mud huts with thatched roofs. These villages are in proximity with limited outside connections leading to self-sufficient social units dependent mainly on forest and agriculture. Their location on the Godavari River provides them with arable lands, however the construction of water projects like the Polavaram Dam have introduced the threat of displacement to their community.​The Koyas, however, have had a history of defending their land. The tribe has a history of anti-colonial resistance in the Nizam-British era and, more recently, have fought battles to preserve their forests from deforestation and development. The Koya community in particular has strongly objected to land deal for infrastructure projects, which they claim can violate their villages. The Polavaram Dam is a case in point and will affect thousands of the Koyas a forest-dwelling and farming community​, who have lived for generations in these areas​.The Koya have a very strong association with the land and nature. They give a special place to their ancestors in their worship and they regard the earth as the perfect symbol of life. Social organization the tribes have different subgroups or clans which are associated with their deities and traditions. These gattas regulate marriages, rituals and festivals.Koyas, Hindus have festivals such as Dussehra and Makar Sankranti, yet they celebrate their unique festivals related to tribal life, like Bhumatha worship or Bhumi Panduga, a festival of mother earth deity. Their festivals frequently have ceremonial practices for obtaining a good harvest and to prevent natural disasters. The villagers run the fields of Sainung-yeong farming in the nature-friendly way for well balanced between human and nature and Coexistence.

Introduction to Doli Koya Music

The music falls under the cultural tradition of the Koya tribe, which is predominant in the former pair of Khammam and Warangal districts of modern-day Telangana. The Doli is a cylindrical drum associated with this tradition, made of Vegisa wood (scientific name: Pterocarpus marsupium) and is about 16-18 inches long and 12 inches wide. The drum has two sides, held in place and tuned by bamboo rings, and is topped with goat skin--often, the right side is topped with male goat skin and the left side with female goat skin. The right head is a little larger than the left, so the drum has an interesting tone. The Doli is compressed with a string called Janumu, which is prepared from Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea). Prior to chopping down the Vegisa tree for making drums, the Doli Koya conduct ritual pujas to pay homage to their customs. The drum is struck with 10-12 inches long wooden stick known as Tada, and the first beat is sounded during traditional jataras or clan deity pujas, popularly known as Velupla Kolupulu.

Significance

The Doli drum is of great cultural value to Koya society, particularly the sacred Ceremonies used for pacifying clan deities. The stories of tribal warriors and deities such as Pagididdaraju, Ramaraju, Gadiraju, Bapanamma, Musalamma, Nagulamma and Sadalamma and Sammakka and Saralamma (well-known tribal deities) find their places in the stories of the Doli Koyas. The Doli Koya artistes do not limit their performance to Adivasi festivals Koya Weddings engagement ceremonies, religious events, fairs, sacred and death rituals. They are accomplished in singing and story-telling in Telugu and Koya languages, thus transmitting the history and culture of the tribe in their songs. Being the storytellers who handle the Birt Stories as well as recordings, the Doli Koyas have an important part in preserving cultural production. Most artists inherit the art from their forefathers. The Indian government has honored the famous Doli Koya artist Sakinam Ramachandraiah with the Padma Shri award for his services to the Doli koya art. He was a resident of the Kunavaram village of Manuguru mandal of the Bhadradri Kothagudem district in Telangana.

Traditional Instruments of Koya Music

Koya Tribal music is the employment of an assortment of traditional instruments, where each one serves a different purpose of enriching the culture and familial meditation of the tribe. The orchestra of Koya music is completed by percussion instruments like the Doli,windinstrument and stringed instrument and is the chord of melodies that make up the sound environment of Koya music traditions.

The Doli (Drum): The Doli is the main percussion instrument in Koya music and is an integral part of their festivals, rituals and social functions. It is an oil drum played with sticks that has a low, deep bassy sound, and is used to keep time when people are dancing and during ceremonies. Beats of the Doli, it is said, are spiritual and can call ancestors and gods during religious functions. The drum is typically the dominant instrument in contested performances and dictates the other instruments.At Koya festivals like Bhumatha and Dussehra, the Doli is performed along with dancing, jobbers dance along with the Doli, while stepping to the rhythmic beats of the drum. Very powerful and can be heard during jathras (processions) – This need to make sure the community is in tune during large congregations!

Wind Instruments: Koya music is also accompanied by wind instruments. The most popular of these instruments are the bison horn Thoothakommu and Akkum, a metal wind instrument. With its melodious notes, the instrument is countered by a heavier drum sou D, bringing about a musical equilibrium in the ensemble. Not surprisingly, the sound of these wind-instruments is soft and melancholy, and is frequently used to reproduce natural sounds – wind, flowing water – an echo of the Koyas’ bond with their natural surroundings.

Koya Festivals and Celebrations: The Koyas observe many traditional festivals including those of religious nature, rooted in their social, agricultural, and religious fabric. Music, in combination with traditional instruments such as the Doli (drum), has significant affinity with these festivals acting as a vehicle of both entertainment and the way of invoking spiritual forces and providing communal glue and unity.

Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara: Samakka-Sarakka is one of the most known festivals of the Koya people and is celebrated once in two years in Medaram village near Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, India. Dedicated to Sammakka and Saralamma, or goddesses, the ritual is one of Asia’s largest tribal congregations, drawing millions of worshippers. Traditionally this is a Koya festival, celebrating the valour and sacrifice of the two goddesses of Koyadepur, who were sent to fight the injustice and to safeguard their people.Doli Koya music is the most important feature of the religious celebrations and the procession in the Jatara. Doli drums rhythms presumably serve to establish a link with the goddesses and chants and songs recount the tales of Sammakka and Saralamma. A dappu (a double-sided drum) is played during these performances, with lifelike instruments also echoing the sound. The music has been a conduit for these devotees to venerate, entreat blessings, and celebrate their fierce sense of tribal pride​

Bhumatha Festival: Another important festival for Koya is Bhumatha Festival, related to worship of the Earth and associated with the agricultural cycle. This is when planting season begins, with prayers for a good harvest. Music, particularly percussion led performances, are integral to the rituals and the Doli drum is played to indicate the start of the agricultural season. Singing songs to ask for blessings for fertility, prosperity, and natural disaster protection​

Dussehra and Other Crop Harvest Festivals: The Koya tribe also celebrates Dussehra, but with distinct tribal features than the regular Hindu Dussehra. For the Koyas, Dussehra is primarily related to agricultural rites and recognition of natural forces that help agriculture. Doli Koya music is played when dances are enacted by both men and women in the name of village deities and for the welfare of the society. The percussion groups perform alongside a string section, providing a melodious dimension to the rhythmic drums.Similarly, other harvest festivals in the region, including those in celebration of the monsoon (spring) arrival, involves dancing, music, and singing as part of its festivity. The entire village joins in, celebrating their relationship with nature and the bounty of their fields, with musicians leading the way, and villagers dancing along.In all Koya festivals, music is not simple decoration—it is ritualistic and symbolic. The beat of the Doli, along with traditional music and dance, also cements the group's bond with their forebears and gods. Over the course of festivities, through music, the community members come together by representing their culture and spiritual things. It is in the sounds of Koya instruments that this tradition and depth of reverence for the spirit world is recognised both in the great Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara and in smaller local festivals through the invocation of clan deities called Ilavelpulu.

Costumes in Doli Koya Music

The costumes are important in Doli Koya songs and they are influenced by the lifestyle and culture of their tribe Koya. The dress that one wears to sing and dance in is not just for comfort, it is to represent that his tribe is not ashamed of his identity, history, and keeping alive the Pomo cultural doings and being. The Garments for Doli Koya are as follows:

Traditional Attire

Men’s Costumes:

1. Dhoti: Koya men typically wear a dhoti (stripped cloth), a long piece of cloth wrapped around the waist, with or without a kurta or shirt. The dhoti is typically white cotton, and may have color and/or pattern accents.
2. Turbans: A turban or headscarf is commonly worn on the heads of male actors. This is usually knotted in a particular way to indicate their tribal affiliation.
3. Jewelry: Men can be adorned in plain jewelry or beaded necklaces or bracelets, which in some cases are made from the local environment.

Performance Attire

Costumes for Rituals and Festivals: In festivals like Sammakka-Saralamma Jathara, the attires get highly decorative. Actors also don particular costumes that signify their parts in the ceremonies, they might be decorated in items that signify their deities and tribal legends. Dress for Male This is similar to that of women and begs to be mentioned.Wear white shirt, white lungi and a towel on your shoulder.In this unit, we studied about the history, geographical area and cultural values of the Koya tribe. Realised the importance Doli Koya music in social life, Festivals & traditional musical instruments.Musical Instruments Used in Doli Koya Music In the following section, we shall read about the musical instruments used in Doli Koya music.

Instruments of Doli Koya Music

The Doli Drum

It is so with the Doli drum, a key instrument for Koya music whose beat and deep resonance set the rhythm in songs, dances, and ceremonies. This drum is built out of simple, rugged materials native to the tribal regions in which the Koyas reside, including bamboo, wood and goat skin.

Structure of the Doli Drum

The Doli is a double-headed barrel shape drum, the sound box of the drum is wider in one end that enhances sound when the drum is struck. It's frequently formed by placing bamboo with a tubular shape. The drumskins are simple stretched animal skin, attached to the wooden body with cords or strips of leather. BY hitting the drums with hands, The heads are pressed and different tones created from it, the tone or sound changes by much pressing or tapping of the hide.When the one side of the Doli drum is struck, a bigger bass-like sound is produced, whereas when the other side of the drum is struck, a high-pitched tone is produced and used in various rhythms and tempos while playing. This dual-tone feature can play lead in koya music, the instrument has the ability to bear complex beats and rhythms that steer the rest of the ensemble.

Materials Used

All sides of the Doli are made of following material:

• Wood: Drum (body) is made of tree-trunk or bamboo that is selected for its strength and resonance. Each wood species produces its own slightly unique sound based on its density and   thickness.
• Skin: The drum heads of the Dhol are made from goatskin, and the it is this that is stretched and cured to provide a even, taut surface against which to blow. One side of the dhol is an animal hide, and the other a synthetic skin. This skin is fundamental to achieving the dolly? s luxurious,   deep colors.
• Leather Straps: These are straps or chords that keep the drumheads fastened to the wooden frame and the coiled state   that allows for the drum to provide its sound. They also have a little bit of adjustment by tightening the skin.

Wind Instruments in Koya Music

Koya tribal music give special preference for wind instruments which adds melody to the rhythmic beats of the Doli drum. The common wind instrument are thoothakommu or akkum, and other discern instruments.

Rhythmic and Melodic Elements

There is another interrelationship of rhythm and melody — a poly-conversation: conversation in the music, between rhythm and melody — in Koya music, which makes it sound so Koya. The Doli drum serves as the rhythmic accompaniment to Koya music, which sets the pace for others wind instruments to play melodies and comes together in a harmonic chorus when the tribe burst into song at fests, rituals and social gatherings.

Rhythmic Elements of the Doli

Drum The Doli drum is the central element of Koya rhythms. The drum is typically a double -headed one with one side of the drum offering deep bass tone whereas the other side produces a higher pitched sound. This permits a variety of percussive effects, appropriate to the occasion or ceremony. The Drum sound of the Doli is based on the fundamental principle of proportionate mix of low sounding beats (as for maintaining a solemnity and ritualistic specialty) and the high-sounding beats (for infusing an energy into the occasion of celebration).

• Rhythmic structures: The rhythms are Bridge (IV), simple but pulsating rhythmic cycles as followed by Koya musicians. The patterns may be 4-beat or 6-beat, where   alternate hits of the Doli accentuate different beats. They are guide drone rhythm cycles for dancers and singers, sometimes   rapidly cycling at peak of activity.
• Syncopation and Call-and-Response Syncopation (the accenting of offbeats) and call-and-response   rhythms are key features of Doli playing. There may be a core rhythm played by a lead drummer, while other musicians play a different rhythm simultaneously, and this interaction produces a   densely woven texture of sounds.

Melodic Elements

It is these wind instruments like thoothakommu or akkum that provide the melodic element to the music of Koya. These instruments create melodious and sweet renditions that come complimentarily with the thumping beats of the Doli to give a nice push and soul to the music.

• Modal Scales:   The melody in Koya music frequently follows modal scales that are informed by the natural sounds of the area.
• Drone Tones: The use of drone tones (a continuous tone that is heard in the background) is a significant melodic element. The wind instruments can sustain a single-note or simple melodic utterance above the rhythm in a calming manner characteristic of Koya ceremonial music.

There is a self-interlocking feature of the rhythm and melody in Koya music. 1.5 Use of Musical Instruments 2-1 The loud beat of the Doli regulates the pace of ceremonial dances during the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara as others of the wind instruments make the air vibrate with spell-binding tunes that express devotion and tell tales. The metered patterns are through-composed, or referenced and filled-in, as they are repeated, becoming more intricate as the performance continues, while the melodies follow the rise and fall in pitch, and varying levels of crescendo in relation to the weight entrusted to the moment.

Techniques of Playing the Instruments

The tribe also has their own traditional musical instruments, including the Doli drum that has been played in traditional ways for generations. They are key in the development of the complex rhythms and melodies typical in Koya ritual, festivals, and communal activities.

Playing Techniques for the Doli Drum

The dhol is a double-headed drum that is played by either using one's hands or playing with a stick depending on the requirement of the performance. Some of the significant playing techniques for the Doli are as follows:

• Hand Techniques: In traditional playing, the Doli is played with hands/fingers and palms allowing the player to maintain both the rhythm and the loudness of the sound. The bass and treble sides are also known as the 1⁄4 and 3⁄4 respectively, meaning only one hand normally plays the lower-pitched head and one hand the higher-pitched head. This allows for the playing of polyrhythms,   B where different rhythms are played on different heads.
• Stick Playing: Players strike the drumheads of the Doli (two drumheads is standard) with small wooden sticks- for strong rhythms especially in energetic dances or ceremonies. The beat is louder and more solid because the sticks can produce more beats than hands, it also is often heard during the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara and other such major festivals.
• Alternating Beats: An important feature is the alternating beats between the two drumheads. This results in a syncopated rhythm, which then the player stresses the off-beats as well, making the music seem more difficult.

Rhythm Patterns

The rhythm patterns of Koya music are of a generally repetitive and cyclical nature, of which the Doli forms a basis for the accompaniment of different musk parts. Common patterns include:

• Basic 4-beat rhythms: These can be furious yearning or slow, swaying emotion in varying  degrees.
• Fast-paced 6-beat cycles: These are generally, the beat used while dancing or used for playing in the festive environments or even at a point of the rhythm or the music intensity level of the music or the songs will increase.
• Polyrhythms: Multiple Rhythm Cycles are being played by different or even same Doli players. These patterns are frequently improvised according to what the performance requires but are grounded in traditional forms.

Tuning the Doli Drum

The tuning of the Doli is the very important training of the instrument for the performance. The pitch of the drumheads is determined by the tension of the animal skin, which the musicians change by tightening and loosening the leather cords holding the skin onto the wooden body.

• High Tension:   Tighten the drum heads with the T-joint pin, and a higher sound can be heard for quick and jolly notes.
• Loose Tension: Drumhead surfaces broken-in will create a cool bass resonance that is perfect   for a koya song in some ritual or spiritual moment.

Doli Koya Music in Rituals and Festivals

Religious and Spiritual Significance

Religious and spiritual beliefs[edit] Doli Koya music has a strong religious and spiritual meaning for the Koya tribe and is perfectly blended with rituals, their spiritual beliefs and seasonal activities. Music is not just an art form in Koya society but rather a channel for communing with their gods, forefathers and the environment. The following discusses its position in religious and spiritual contexts.

Religious Rituals and Ceremonies

Religion Koyas practice their traditional religion, which is based in nature worship, ancestor worship, and the worship of local deities, such as the goddesses Sammakka and Saralamma - central in their religion. At the Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara, a major tribal festival in the state of Telangana, Doli Koya music is an essential part of the the worship of the deities involved. Instruments such as the Doli drum are played to call upon the presence of these divine beings. Doli's rhythmic beats are thought to symbolise the presence of the deities and elicit their blessings to the community. This music is not entertainment only; it is not only an offering – it is a sacred offering meant to bring people into contact with the divine.
Doli: Doli sets the tempo for the hymns and prayers that are not read in a shout and response format by the pandits and the crowd. The drum’s relentless rhythms are believed to steady and focus the minds of the participants in religious rites, to root them in the present moment, in the sacred space.

Spiritual Practices

Koya spiritual life also includes music in a variety of contexts including personal and village rites, having as a goal the harmonization of the spirit with nature. The Koya think that music in fact is able to speak to nature spirits and restore relations between a man and environment. The Doli’s powerful bass notes are thought to summon the earth and the spirits of the land, especially during agricultural ceremonies. For example, music is a part of offering devotions to the earth goddess which is done before the planting and harvesting seasons for a successful crop.The akkum are typically played in more private spiritual areas, like prayer or meditation, with the soft, lilting tones representing breath, the breath of life and the life giving rivers on which the tribe survives. A number of these are used to help establish communication between the living and the spirit world and are often used to perform healing ceremonies where they utilize the power of sound to cleanse a person's body and spirit.

Seasonal Celebrations

The Koya music is also associated with various seasons; through the Doli, the seasonal changes are marked with special notes played at festivals such as Bhumi Panduga, which is the earth festival. It’s this festival, which falls at the start of the agricultural year, which includes drumming, singing and dancing in honour of the earth and prayer to bring fertility to the land. Rhythms played on the Doli correspond to the cyclic rhythms of nature, representing the tribe's reliance on the rhythm of seasons in order for them to subsist and endure.At these feasts, Koya villagers gather to indulge in community dances, the beats of the Doli governing our movements to imply sowing seeds or harvesting crops.

Gender Roles in Koya Music

In Koya tribal society, the gendered conceptions and activities of men and women in musical performance of more general cultural norms and social organization, having certain gendered roles and expectations related to musical performance. Koya men as well as women are involved in the vibrant musical culture of the tribe, though they play separate roles in the music used in rituals, on festivals, and other social occasions.

Men's Role in Koya Music

Men of the Koya tribe usually play the Doli drum, a mainstay of their musical styles. The Doli being a representation of strength and rhythm is usually played by men, the majority being during major ceremonies and festival such as in the 'Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara. The Doli, heavy with deep and resonant rhythms, commands the masculine power of the community.

• Ritual Drumming: Men Typically, men initiate the sequences of drumming that are the rhythmic underpinning for communal dances and other religious activity. They have a very elevated status in the ceremonies as the drumming patterns played on the Doli drum weaves the community together during   festivals and religious ceremonies. Their participation by means of these performances shows that men are the leaders in both musical and ritual situations.
• Musical Leadership: The   main drummers and often considered the musical leaders during large social events. Their rhythmic control, ability to maintain the flow of the music are not merely musical skills  but also a reflection of their role in governing the goings-on in communal events and maintaining a smooth large-scale ritual performance.

Women's Role in Koya Music

Men are the primary performers of the Doli, but are also known to be important in vocal performances and other musical forms. Women’s singing is an important feature of Koya music especially in rituals, narrative compositions and social functions. Women frequently transmit stories of the tribe, retell mythologies, and relay folklore that upholds the Koya’s cultural history via songs.

• Singing and Storytelling:   Women’s songs are replete with symbolism and are used to recount the history of the tribe, its spiritual beliefs, and its cultural values. These are songs that are handed down from generation to generation, and women are the ones who are looked to as the people who have held that oral tradition. The words frequently mirror tribal experiences, dealing with the subjects of nature, ancestry, and  community life.
• Participation in Dance and Social Music: Besides singing, women are also involved in group dances, often danced to drum beats on the Doli. These dances, generally communal, feature both men and women moving in harmony with rhythms, although drumming is a generally male pursuit. Grass-dance. Women’s participation in these dances carries with it an expression of their essential role in the dress of the community, social life, as well as the accompanying music.

In this unit we have discussed the religious and spritual role of Doli Koya music, its role in tribal rituals, the co-ordination of music with tribal dance forms such as the Parini, and role of music in social functions. This is music that is also significant in terms of social bonding and folklore.Next module introduces the social and cultural consequences of Doli Koya music. We intend to investigate the symbolic meaning of music, music in social structure and the rest of Koya's belief, and the cultural function of the involvement of men and women in music.

Preservation and  Significance of Doli Koya Music

Notable Doli Koya Artist: Padma Shri Sri Sakinam Ramachandraiah

Movers and shakers in the field of Doli Koya music include the eminent late Sri Sakinam Ramachandraiah, a renowned singer whose remarkable contribution in preserving and promoting Koya tribal music lies buried deep in his soul. In 2022, Maad received the Padma Shri award from the Government of India, one of India's highest civilian honours, recognizing his contribution to the arts and for being a preserver of Koya culture.

Efforts for Preservation

Koya Doli music should be preserved due to the fact of helping preservation of the cultural heritage of the Koya tribe in the competitive modern world and urbanization. Numerous projects by NGOs and community-based groups are striving to save and rejuvenate this traditional music for coming generations.

1. Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to preserve the culture of Koyas and other indigenous people of India. These groups emphasize education, advocacy, and community involvement.

• Cultural Workshops: NGOs conduct workshops displaying traditional music and dances to the young. Such workshops end in hand on experience and pride in their cultural assets. In promoting up-and-coming talent, they are working to preserve the teaching and learning of music.
• Documentation and Research: NGOs are engaged in the documentation of Doli Koya music, by recording the performances, conducting interviews of the elderly and collecting traditional songs. This heavy archiving provides an essential way of authenticating the music, and also provides resource materials for educational purposes.

• Promotion of Cultural Festivals: A few NGOs assist in the organization of cultural festivals found to include Doli Koya music in order to give a platform for performances. This kind of festival also promotes friendly relations with the world, and broadens international relations, making it possible to introduce both the Koya culture and the cultural exchange of the Koya to the outside world.

In this module we were studying about the famous artist Sri Sakinam Ramachandraiah and some preservation processes.