Khol

For the Austrian politician, see Andreas Khol. For KHOL, a radio station in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, see KHOL.

This article is about khol, Indian drum. See also mridangam drum.

For other terms, see kohl.

Mridanga dayan

Mridanga bayan

The khol (Bengali,খোল)(Assamese,খোল) also known as a mrdanga (lit. "mrit+anga" = "clay body") or mridanga (not to be confused with mridangam) is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music (bhakti). It originates from the Indian state West Bengal Assam and Manipur.

Parts of the khol (mridanga)

Introduction

One of the sides of the khol is much smaller than the other. Both sides are covered with naturally dead cow or goat skin. The smaller head (the dayan) and the bigger bass head (the baya) are usually three-layered heads in addition to a special central region of rice paste, glue, and iron known as the syahi. The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.

Gaudiya Vaishnava

In ISKCON and in Gaudiya Vaishnava societies, the khol is the primary drum for kirtan and bhajan.

Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva

Mahapurush Srimanta Sankaradeva also used Khol, Mridanga for Gayan-Bayan, Borgeet and Sattriya Nritya in addition it is also used in Dihanaam.

As khols became popular in the West, many varieties of khols resulted. The traditional clay khol gave rise to a fiberglass skinned khol (same as clay with only a fiberglass body), a brass khol (same as clay with only a brass body), and Balarama mridanga (a mridanga with a fiberglass body and plastic heads).

See also

• Mrdanga
• Mridangam
• Tabla
• Thavil
• Karatalas
• maddale -- an instrument used in Yakshagana

External links

• Mridanga/Khol/Mrdanga/Mridunga Resource Website: www.mridanga.net.