Mridangam

Mridangam

The mridangam is a double-headed barrel drum played horizontally with both hands. Its name comes from Sanskrit and means “made of clay”, referring to its ancient form.

One drumhead is tuned to the singer’s Sa, the reference note. The other gives a low bass tone. A paste of rice and iron oxide on the treble head, the higher-pitched side, gives it a ringing pitch.

The player follows the composition and marks the taal, a repeating rhythmic cycle. The player also takes the tani avartanam, the concert’s percussion solo.

Where you will hear it

You will hear the mridangam, a double-headed barrel drum, accompanying Carnatic music. Its player follows the composition and marks the taal, the repeating rhythmic cycle. Listen to it alongside the singer, rather than only as a separate drum part.

One example is the drum accompanying a kriti, a composition, in adi taal. The mridangam also takes the tani avartanam, the percussion solo of a concert. Here, you can turn your attention from its accompanying role to the percussion itself.