Triple Threat

Among some South Indian Brahmins, the Veda encompasses not only living textual and ritual traditions but also a human agency--that is, traditions are passed down within families and extended kinship groups. That's the case in Kodunthirappully, Kerala, near the border with Tamil Nadu, home to a small Tamil-speaking population who sing liturgical songs (sāmaveda ) from the rare Jaiminīya branch. In this picture the village vādhyār  (priest and teacher) Thiruvenkatanatha Sarma rehearses with one of his students, K.S. Balasubrahmanian, who holds young Srinivasan on his lap. Three generations of the Sāmavedic human agency.

Vadhyar Thiruvenkatanatha Sharma, Balan and son study sāmaveda. Kodunthirappully, Kerala, January 2013