▁an ▁or al ▁tradition , ▁T amil ▁folk ▁music ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁a ▁cod ified ▁system ▁of ▁written ▁notation . ▁Mus icians ▁learn ▁through ▁years ▁of ▁un cons cious ▁absor ption , ▁conscious ▁listening , ▁im itation , ▁and ▁practice . ▁ ▁History ▁and ▁performance ▁context ▁This ▁drum ▁is ▁widely ▁believed ▁to ▁possess ▁super natural ▁and ▁sacred ▁powers . ▁When ▁played ▁in ▁religious ▁cer emon ies ▁and ▁process ions , ▁the ▁performance ▁of ▁specific ▁be ats ▁on ▁the ▁ur umi ▁may ▁indu ce ▁spirit ▁poss essions ▁or ▁T rance . ▁ ▁The ▁ur umi ▁is ▁also ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁Indian ▁state ▁of ▁Ker ala , ▁which ▁borders ▁T amil ▁N adu . ▁The ▁ur umi ▁is ▁most ▁often ▁performed ▁in ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁ens emb les : ▁▁ ▁U rum i ▁Mel am ▁N ai y and i ▁Mel am ▁ ▁U rum i ▁mel am ▁ens emb les ▁usually ▁consists ▁of ▁double - re ed ▁instruments ▁N adas war am , ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁double ▁head ed ▁drums ▁called ▁p amb ai , ▁and ▁one ▁to ▁three ▁ur umi ▁drums ; ▁this ▁particular ▁ensemble ▁is ▁associated ▁exclus ively ▁with ▁fun er als ▁and ▁other ▁in aus p icious ▁occasions . ▁The ▁na iy and i ▁mel am ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁common ▁type ▁of ▁folk ▁ensemble ▁associated ▁with ▁rit ual ▁and ▁dance . ▁A ▁typical ▁na iy and i ▁mel am ▁is ▁composed ▁of ▁two ▁double - re ed ▁n adas war am , ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁th av il ▁( bar