Mallari is played when the deity is brought out in procession as part of temple rituals. All temples have resident Nadaswara vidwans and they have norms for what to play, when etc. During the annual festivals special nadaswaram parties would come from outside and the music is much more elaborate and the mallaris are more intricate. “Special” tavil vidwans would sometimes be put to test to see if they could match up to the Nadaswaram vidwans. Mallaris would be composed and presented on such occasions mostly in good spirit with the occasional ego clashes that also resulted in some very high quality music and a few uncomfortable situations!

The mallari was usually in Gambhira nattai raga. The Nadaswara vidwan plays the basic structure a few times in normal speed first. He then proceeds to perform some variations in different speeds and finally the kalpana swarams. The musical and rhythmic framework being employed seems to match the swaying motion of the deity being carried along. The Mallari do not have any words or sahityam. It is a collection of sollu kattus or solfa syllabus set to a rhythmic structure.