00:00 [Tribal music]
00:09 A sensory wake-up call.
00:11 [Tribal music]
00:12 An eardrum-bursting, quick-paced rhythm.
00:15 [Tribal music]
00:18 This is the familiar beat ringing through the air each year during Thaipusam.
00:23 [Tribal music]
00:31 Known as Urmimelam, these heart-pounding sounds are a form of Tamil folk music steeped in centuries-old tradition.
00:39 28-year-old Satish Kutty is a forklift driver by day and an urmimelam player by night.
00:46 He first tried his hand at the instrument at age 12 after watching his elder brother play.
00:52 [Speaking in Tamil]
01:04 Part of the Veera Ganapathy Urmimelam troop in KL, Satish is one of 15 members in his team.
01:11 Each of them shares a common purpose - to keep the tradition of urmimelam alive.
01:17 [Speaking in Tamil]
01:36 [Tribal music]
01:39 This is a sentiment that echoes throughout the urmimelam community, including by C.R. Raghu,
01:44 the country's popular craftsman behind these traditional instruments.
01:49 Speaking to us at his brick-fuel store, Raghu, who has over 20 years of industry experience,
01:55 shared his insights on urmimelam.
01:58 [Speaking in Tamil]
02:27 [Speaking in Tamil]
02:35 The urmi is a drum with a wooden shell. It is covered on both sides with processed goatskin.
02:42 Black ink derived from a seed in India is applied to its surface, producing its distinctive vibrating sound.
02:49 [Speaking in Tamil]
02:54 [Speaking in Tamil]
03:20 [Speaking in Tamil]
03:25 FMT Lifestyle spent a day with Satish on the eve of his team's first Taipuzam performance,
03:31 beginning from his workplace in Sungai Buloh.
03:35 After freshening up at his home in Kuppong and listening to the song on his phone,
03:41 Satish heads to Sagambot for a late-night training session with the troop right under the highway.
03:47 [Music]
04:12 Having perfected the beats after hours of training,
04:15 the team reconvenes the next day at the riverbank near Batu Caves to accompany a cavity procession.
04:23 Even though the younger generation takes the spotlight today,
04:26 it's worth journeying back to the roots of urmimelam in Malaysia.
04:31 Vasanthan Baskaran, better known as Siva, is a fourth-generation urmimelam player
04:36 and the president of Persatuan Pemuzik Urmimelam Malaysia.
04:40 He notes that while the art form originated in India centuries ago,
04:45 it has gained unparalleled popularity in Malaysia, now with over 500 teams nationwide.
04:52 [Speaking in Malay]
05:11 Siva also pointed out that today, the industry has seen a shift.
05:15 [Speaking in Malay]
05:42 [Music]
06:03 As you soak in the spirit of Taipusam this year,
06:06 take a moment to feel the pulse of urmimelam, a symbol of the country's rich Indian heritage.
06:11 Divya Raghu, FMT Lifestyle.
06:13 [Music]
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