Monday, February 29, 2016

Music Monday - Leap Day and The Musical Pillars of the Vittala Temple

February 29 is the bonus day we only get once every four years here in the United States, where we use a secular calendar called the Gregorian calendar.

It comes once every four years, on a year divisible by four (with one exception).

It has some interesting physics behind it.

It's rare - and precious.  We don't want to waste it.

It's only the second leap day in the existence of my blog.

Today, a special leap day edition of Music Monday, where I will share some blogged information about the Vittala Temple provided by Parul, an Indian blogger.  Ruins at this site are considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Instead of talking about the architecture, which Paurl does an excellent job of, I will blog a about the musical pillars.

Hollow pillars at the temple, if hit correctly, produce musical sound.  Parul tells the story of how the British, fascinated, cut open two of the pillar to see what was making the music.  The pillars turned out to be hollow



You don't have to travel far to hear that music - just click on the link.

 Interesting and (for an American) rare-just like a leap day.

Finally, as a bonus for this bonus day, here is the #1 song on the charts as of February 29, 1960:  Theme from A Summer Place. A totally different style of music, but one appropriate (I think) for those of us wishing for the days of summer.  Enjoy!

5 comments:

  1. I recall it was the LETTERMAN who sang the song that was on the charts on the 3rd leap year of my existence. Percy Faith's version came nearly a decade later.

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  2. This video of Musical pillars is very interesting. Read Parul's blog too. Nice information Alana.

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  3. Hey - that was wonderful and so nice of you to mention my post. And you got the video too - exactly how the guide showed us. Good one Alana :)

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  4. Well done thank you for sharing

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  5. Theme from a Summer Place is so lovely - I've heard the Andy Williams version and love it. Instrumental music is so relaxing. And the musical pillars in temples in India are fascinating. I was quite small when we visited one but I still remember them.

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