The effect of a prolonged and demanding vocal activity (Divya Prabhandam recitation) on subjective and objective measures of voice among Indian Hindu priests

ABSTRACT Divya Prabhandam recitation performed regularly by Hindu priests of South India, being a vocally excruciatingly demanding religious ritual, doubtlessly induces vocal fatigue in reciters, and offers a unique opportunity to assess the acoustic and cepstral parameters of voice before and after recitation. The study aimed at investigating the subjective (Vocal Fatigue Index) and objective parameters (acoustic and cepstral parameters) of voice before and after the recitation of Divya Prabhandam among Hindu priests. The study comprised fourteen male Hindu priests who were Divya Prabhandam reciters having a clinically normal voice and with no history of voice disorders. The voice samples of all the participants were recorded in two specific conditions. Condition 1 (before voice use) was recorded before beginning the Divya Prabhandam recitation, and condition 2 (after prolonged voice use) was recorded after the completion of the Divya Prabhandam recitation. Subjective analysis of vocal loading was carried out using the Vocal Fatigue Index, and objective analysis was carried out using acoustic and cepstral analysis of voice recorded in both conditions. The results revealed that there was a significant difference in the scores of Vocal Fatigue Index between the two conditions. The acoustic and cepstral parameters of voice also showed significant differences between the two conditions. The study findings revealed that there was a significant impact of prolonged vocal usage on vocal characteristics among priests reciting Divya Prabhandam.