Mridangam

The mridangam is a doubt celled double cone drum that is played in the South Indian music.

The mridangam is the most important accompanying rhythm instrument of Carnatic music and thus on the importance comparable to the tabla in the North Indian classical music. The counting of the tube drums form with a characteristic kink in the middle corresponds to the northern Indian Pakhawaj, the northeastern Indian Khol, the Maddale of Karnataka and the Nepalese Pashchima. The played in Manipur slimmer drum Pung wears for her the middle name Manipuri Mridang.

The word " mridangam " is the south Indian variant of the Sanskrit words " Mrida " (clay or earth) and " anga " (body). While the instrument was once made of baked clay, is now exclusively wood because of its higher Dauerhaftigheit use. Accompanied by the development of the instrument to refined the system of Talas ( in South Indian languages: talam ) and became one of the most complex systems of rhythm in classical music.

The mridangam is a double- strung drum whose body is made of a hollowed piece of jackfruit wood. The walls are about two and a half inches thick. The two openings are covered with goat skins and these are connected together by leather pitfalls. In this way, the two diaphragms are clamped. The width of the membrane is different on both sides, whereby two different pitches can be produced with a drum instrument. By moistening the goat leather (usually the smaller membrane) and applying a paste of rice flour and water in the middle of the membrane agrees with the player, the instrument before a performance.

The mridangam is played lying on the foot and leg of a musician, a right-handed hitting the smaller membrane with his right hand, the larger the left, a left-handed vice versa.

The mridangam and was also found in musical processions and religious festivals use.

Famous mridangam players are Anantha R. Krishnan, TAS Mani and Sanyasi Raju.