Wish List of an experience junkie - Maddhalam

Gone are my days of the aimless vagabond wanderer. On this journey, I intend to explore some possibilities. In 'The WishList of an experience junkie' series, I aim to do the ground work for some of the experiences I wish to go towards.

The first of them is to learn to play one of the Deva vadhya (Instrument of the Gods), the Maddhalam. Maddhalam is the pre cursor to the more popular Mridangam, and finds mention as early as the 13th century. It is believed to be the instrument of Nandi the bull, escort of Lord Shiva, who danced to the beats of the Maddhalam. It has one of the most sublime and warmest of sounds I have heard on any drum.

Check out the video of the Maddhalam solo in the traditional orchestra of Kerala, Panchavadhyam (literally means 5 instruments). Now the rest of the article is for all you lurking drum-nuts and wierdos who collect random useless information.





Maddhalam is a medium sized barrel drum played in Kerala, about two feet in length and tapers outwards from the middle. It is an integral part of the traditional orchestra, the Panchavadyam. It is also used as an accompaniment in various dance forms of Kerala like Kathakali, Krishnattam and Thullal. It is made of the hardwood of the jackfruit tree, and both ends are covered with stretched buffalo hide.Maddalam is held up horizontally while playing it with both hands, with finger rings worn on the left hand. Suddha Maddalam is one of the varieties of this instrument played while firmly attached to the waist of the player, used in temple rituals. Toppi Maddalam, which is played suspended from the neck, is the lighter version used as accompaniment in dance and theater.

The primacy of the maddalam in a Kathakali performance can be gauged from it being the first to be sounded before the performance. ‘Maddala keli’ is a term used for the ritual of ‘announcement’ made with to the public that a Kathakali performance will take place later on. The first stroke is on the maddalam, the left side of which produces the Omkara dhwani. It is because that Toppi maddalam allows a more prolonged sound of Omkara as compared to the Shuddha maddalam that it is preferred in Kathakali and other theatre forms. Later, when the musicians enter the stage, before the play begins, the maddalam is again the first to be played in the segment known as the ‘Arangathu keli.’ During a Kathakali performance, the custom for accompaniment of various characters dictates that the maddalam accompanies female characters (because of its warm melodious persistent notes), whereas male characters are accompanied by chenda as well as maddalam percussion.

Now to go about finding teachers who would take me on...:)