Drums are an indispensable part of Carnatic Music. The mridangam is a two-faced barrel drum with a shell made of hollowed jackfruit tree wood. There is a black parchment of lead on its right face, while on its left face flour paste is applied before the performance, to be scraped off later. Small pieces of wood wedged between the leather straps fastened across the length of the drum and its body are shifted to adjust the pitch. It is placed horizontally on the ground in the playing position.
The expression traditionally on the mridangam, the king of
percussion instruments, have a spiritual significance. The five main rhythmic syllables
– tat (ta), dhin (dhi), tvam (tom), nah (nom) and jham – played on the
mridangam, all symbolizing Pranava (the sacred syllable om) are said to have originated
from the five faces of Sadashiva (Mahadeva Shiva). Nandikeshvara’s fourteen
fundamental syllables of the mridangam emanated from the sound of Shiva’s
damaru (hand drum) during His Tandava nritya (the dance associated with Shiva).
The kharijira/khajira is a single-face frame drum covered
with lizard skin. The frame has a few jingles plates. It is played with the fingers
of one hand and it, therefore, demands a high degree of skill. The frame has a
few jingle plates. It is played with the fingers of one hand and it, therefore,
demands a high degree of skill.
The tavil is the rhythm companion of the open air wind
instrument of nagaswaram played in temples of South India on social occasions.
Like the mridangam, it is two-faced barrel drum and it is also placed
horizontally on the ground in the playing position. While its right face is
played with the fingers of the player who covers his finger edges with guards,
the left face is played with a thin stick.
Different types of drums are used in temple rituals in South
India. Drum ensembles consisting of idakka, chenda, maddalam, timila etc., are
a main feature of temple festivals in Kerala and Kathakali dance performances.