Drums of India - Page 4

Originally posted by: madhavir108

I thought it was a mrdangam that was made popular by ISKCON devotees...

Just a rookie question, in lay mans terms how would u make the difference ? I can make the difference between a Tabla and a Mrdangam..the others all sound similar to me !!

and which of these instruments come from which part of India!

Thanks a lot kishore_bhakta ji for an amazing post !!!👏

Hey Madhavi....

In Bengal and Gaudiya Vaisnavas, the word "mridanga" and "khol" are interchangeable. However, the more correct word is "khol." The word "mridanga" usually implies the South Indian one used in Bharat-Natyam.

Tabla is predominantly in North India (most recognized sound)

Pakhawaj is in North, mostly North-east India (really low pitched tabla sound, with thunderous bass)

Dholak, folk drum used in North, north-west India (used a lot in film music. the high pitch sounds like a djembe or dumbak without the sustain)

Dholki (Naal), Maharashtra (a really high pitched tabla with bad sustain)

Dhol, West, north-west India (the drum used in "Pretty Woman")

Khol, Bengal and North-east India (Bengali bhajans and kirtans, was heard in Devdas recently in one line of the song 'silsala yeh chahat ka' and the line 'kanha vrndavan men' in the song 'satyam shivam sundaram.")

Mridangam, South India (heard in Bharat-Natyam performances)

Tavil, South India (heard in nadasvaram performances in South India, not too commonly heard in the North.)

Originally posted by: MrspetloverUS

We own Naal, Tabla and Dhol.

another fav of mine is Mridangam and pakhwaj

I love tabla for its meditative sound, pakhawaj for its bass sound, and khol for its simplistic sound.

A pakhawaj is a fun instrument to own. I could only play it when no one was home, because the way the acoustics work in my basement studio, the bass could be heard upstairs to my parent's bedroom and they would come downstairs wondering where the boom came from.

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Bengali bhajans and kirtans.

If you guys like, I can post a clip of me playing esraj few years ago with khol as the drum.

Thanks for this interesting post KB ji...

mridanga (khol) is used a lot for their sankeertans by Gauda Vaishnavas (followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu).

Edited by juggyE - 18 years ago

Originally posted by: kishore_bhakta

Dholak is a fun instrument. The problem lies with (and this is true with any instrument) purchasing a good one! The rassi walla (rope ones) can't tune so high compared to the bolt one. I usually tune it to the fourth or fifth of the song. People find it strange considering that dholaks were "never meant to be tuned"

KB ji,
What do the ustaads normally use for tabla - Is it rope or the bolt one? I usually sit far back (cheaper tickets 😆) so, have never been able to figure out...

wow grt topic .


i love to play drums 😆

and drums in india are manufactured by jenex timber mart 😆

and are made up of timberwood , other woods aswell 😆

j/k pls dont mind

btw  i dont know much abt classical music but have high respect and appretiation for classical music which is the real thing.

Edited by rage797 - 18 years ago

Originally posted by: juggyE

KB ji,
What do the ustaads normally use for tabla - Is it rope or the bolt one? I usually sit far back (cheaper tickets 😆) so, have never been able to figure out...

Almost everone uses the "rope version." Acutally, it is not made of rope. It is made of leather straps that is fastened through the gajara (outermost part of the tabla head) and the kundal (the part no one can see).

I own a both sets (a bolt set and a leather straps set). I find both of them sounding really well, but only advantage I see is that bolts are easier to re-head when the tabla head dies out. The leather straps are the one where I need a lot of free time and space to rehead.

Thanks Kishoreji. The rythm of all these drums is mind-blowing. If you notice most of the songs which have become hits are dominated with either the dholak or the tabla....As I said, the rythm created is a sure-fire hit.

By the way, have you seen the Master percussionist SIVAMANI in action ???? any one got his vide clips ?? appreciate if you can upload... 😃