To know about the Pakhawaj, it is extremely important to know about the species too. The Pakhawaj (Mridang) falls in the category of Avanaddha Vadya or Membranophones.
Meaning: Avanaddha Vadya are those instruments in which the body of the Musical Instrument would be made up of special clay, wood or metal; barrel shaped with both the sides open in the opposite ends e.g., Mrdanga, Pakhawaja, Dholak, Madal etc. either the kettle shaped Musical Drums with only one end opening e.g., Tabla, Bayan, Urdhwaka etc. is covered with the best skin with the help of thin and long leather straps to keep the Musical Drum in perfect Tone.
Avanaddha Vadya is known as MEMBRANOPHONES in western countries. A membranophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by way of a vibrating stretched membrane. Most membranophones are drums. Hornbostel-Sachs divides drums into three main types: struck drums, where the skin is hit with a stick, the hand, or something else; string drums, where a knotted string attached to the skin is pulled, passing its vibrations onto the skin; and friction drums, where some sort of rubbing motion causes the skin to vibrate (a common type has a stick passing through a hole in the skin which is pulled back and forth.
Avanaddha Vadya are those instruments in which the body of the Musical Instrument would be made up of special clay, wood or metal; barrel shaped with both the sides open in the opposite ends e.g., Mridanga, Pakhawaj, Dholak, Madal etc. either the kettle shaped Musical Drums with only one end opening e.g., Tabla, Bayan, Urdhwaka etc. is covered with the best skin with the help of thin and long leather straps to keep the Musical Drum in perfect Tone.
Listed in the category of Avanaddha Vadya the first Instrument born in the history of Musical Leather Instruments is a pet instrument of Lord Shiva ‘Rudra-Damaru’. The Shastras which mention about Damaru are Tripurasura-Rahasya, Shiva-Rahasya, Amarkosha, Sangita-Parijata, Sangita-Makaranda, Shiva-Dhyana, Shiva-Niranjanam, Skandapurana, Sangita-Darpana and Sangita- Ratanakara.
Vaadya Prabheda Damarumaddudimdimajharjaharaha|
Mardalaha Panavo anye cha Nartakitasike Samey||
Means: - Damaru is also counted and classified along with Maddu, Dimdima, Jharjhara, Mardala and Panava.
Dundubhi and Bhumidundubhi used to occupy a very special place during the Vedic age. We can find narrations of Dundubhi in the fifth Mandala 20th and 21st sukta’s in Atharvaveda. It is said that the sound of Dundubhi could take over any strong enemies, on the other hand the wives of the enemies would also run away along with their children creating panic all over. The Bhumidundubhi was constructed by digging up a big hole in land and the skin was folded to create tension, this Instrument was played with the tail bone of a Bison. Dundubhi was very popular among the warriors and it was usually played during great wars to cheer the warriors and give them more enthusiasm for war, special festivals, ceremonies, religious rituals. It was also an accompanying Instrument for the ‘Sama Gana’ (Vedic chants of Sama Veda)
Natyashastra written by Maharshi Bharata, chapter thirty-three gives us knowledge about the invention of Avanaddha Vadyas during the period of Maharshi Bharata by Swati Muni taking the help of Lord Vishwakarma. It is said that there were one hundred varieties of Pushkaras. Among them the most important Pushkaras are Mrdanga, Panava and Dardura. On seeing the Dundubhi of Gods, Swati Muni made Muraja, Alingya, Urdhwaka and Ankika. He also made Jhallari, Pataha and covered them with hides on both opening sides of the barrel shaped Drums.
The use of these Drums is mainly during festivals, royal procession, Mangal ceremony, auspicious and happy occasions, at the time of marriage and during birth of children’s, in a battle where many soldiers assemble. The Shlokas 37-39 say the following aspects of the Pushkaras:-
Sixteen syllabic sounds (Aksharas), four Margas, Vilepana, six Karanas, three Yatis, three Layas, three Gatis, three Prasaras, three Yogas, three Panis, five Pani- Prahata, three Praharas, three Marjanas, eighteen Jatis and twenty Prakaras.
Avanaddha Vadya in Sangita Damodara by Shubhankara
According to chapter IV, Vadyas (Musical Instruments Pg., 25-27) there are many varieties of Avanaddha Vadyas. According to Maharshi Bharata, Mrdanga is placed in top of all and Mardala is placed on top according to Acharya Sharangadeva. The author here describes with interesting details the features and construction of Mardala.
The best wood used to make a Mardala is Khadira and Catechew. Other woods are not so much preferred except Red Sandal wood, which produces deep and grave sound. The measure of the Mardala should be one and a half of a hand. The left one should be of thirteen or twelve fingers and the right shorter by a half a finger or a half. The wood should be thick in the middle. The leather which is used to cover both the sides of the barrel shaped Drum should be of a dead calf of six months only. The Vilepana to produce sound in the Instrument is the lump of rice, ashes and red chalk would be affixed in the centre of the covered skin. The composition of the lump is very interesting. One view says that it should consist of ashes (Vibhuti), red chalk (Gairika), boiled rice (Bhakta) and sour Gruel. Another view makes the composition as consisting of flattered or flattened rice mixed with the essence of the earthworms. All this mixture is made up into a lump which is technically known as Kharali.
Here the author also describes the techniques of the correct striking of a Mardala and different rhythmic patterns of playing upon it. The varieties of leather Instruments are not elaborated upon here. A distinction is drawn between the Muraja and Mardala by their respective measures. The measure of Muraja is eight fingers on the left and seven fingers on the right, whereas the Mardala is thirteen fingers on the left and twelve fingers on the right.
Avanaddha Vadyas in Other Shastra’s
During the sixteenth century Sangita Darpana written by Pt. Damodara, the Vadyaadhyaya contains lots of representation of the Avanaddha Vadyas such as Damaru, Pataha, Mardala, Hudukka, Karata, Ghata, Rumja, Dhakka.
Pataho Mardalaschatha Hudukka Karata Ghataha ||
Ghadaso Dhawaso Dhakka Kudakka Kuduwa Tatha |
Rumja Damaruko Dakka Mamdidakka cha Dakkuli ||
Selluka Jhallari Bhanastrivali Dundubhihistatha |
Bheriniha Sanatumbakyo Bhedaha Syurawanaddhyaha ||
The Avanaddha Vadyas classified according to Sangita Ratanakara of Acharya Sharangadeva are Damaru, Dhakka, Hudukka, Mardala, Dakka, Karata, Ghata, Ghadaso, Dhawaso, Kudakka, Kuduwa, Rumja, Dakkuli, Selluka, Jhallari, Bhanastrivali, Dundubhi, Bheri etc. which are simultaneously repeated.
Another great writer and poet Kalidasa have also given many references, information’s about Mridanga, Pataha, Mardala, and Muraja. Sangita means the mixed attachment between the three Gita, Vadya and Nritya which the great poet Kalidasa used to occupy a huge place. He has briefly explained the word Sangita in many of his books. Those books are as follows: -
Ritusamhara, Kumarasambhava, Meghaduta, Malvikamitra and Vikramorwasiya.
Avanaddha Vadyas in Sangita Samayasara by Acharya Parshavadeva.
According to the book Sangita Samayasara, chapter no. six, page-142 to154, Acharya Parshavadeva has given a brief description about the playing styles of instruments like- Pataha, Hudukka and Dhakka.
Meaning: It is a popular barrel shaped musical drum in Indian Classical Music, which comes under the category of Avanaddha Vadya (Membranophones) covered with skin on both the ends. The Mridanga is formed out of two words; literally, ‘Mrit’ in Sanskrit is mud, soil, or a kind of clay. ‘Anga’ means part or body. Therefore, Mrit+Anga becomes ‘Mridanga’. Gradually Mridanga lost its popularity and due to the evolution of Dhrupada style, people of North-India modified Mridanga, invented an Instrument of a wooden body, and named it Pakhawaj, which was similar to Mridanga.
The word ‘Pakhawaj’ is a corrupted word from ‘Paksha-Vadya’. The Sanskrit word Paksha+Atodya becomes Pakshatodya. The word ‘Paksha’ which means a wing or a part of a body or arm, and Atodya is to play an instrument; together means: - the instrument played by the arm or hand is ‘Pakshatodya’ or ‘Pakshavadya’. During the Muslim period according to the mass dialect, the word Pakshavadya changed into Pakhawaj. This happened due to the different languages, pronunciations and accents. Such as Pakhawaja in Bengal is pronounced as Paakhwaaj and in Uttarpradesh and Bihar Pakhawaja is pronounced as Pakhaauj.
Pakhawaj is essentially a north Indian version of the mridangam and is the most common north Indian representative of the class of barrel shaped drums known as mridang. It was once common throughout north India, but in the last few generations tabla has usurped its position of importance. It has a right head which is identical to tabla except somewhat larger. The left head is similar to the tabla bayan except that there is a temporary application of flour and water instead of the black permanent spot. It is laced with rawhide and has tuning blocks placed between the straps and shell.
There are several styles of pakhawaj playing. The most well-known and important is for the accompaniment of dhrupad and dhammar singers; this, however, is falling out of fashion. Pakhawaj is also very much used for Orissi dancers and occasionally for kathak. It is also found in a classical form from Rajasthan known as Haveli Sangeet.
Pakhawaj compositions are passed down from generation to generation. Like the tabla, they are taught by a series of mnemonic syllables known as bol. There are major differences between the tabla bols and the pakhawaj bols. This is often confusing to musicians who wish to play pakhawaj compositions on the tabla.The playing position is easy. For the right-handed person, the smaller end is placed on the right hand and the larger side is placed on the left side.
The special woods that are used to construct Mridanga or Pakhawaja are-:
Rakta-Chandan, Abanus, Bija-Vriksha or Panas. The length of the instrument would be 21 fingers (16”), the right-side diameter would be 14 fingers (5.6”) and left side 13 fingers (5.2”), the middle part of the instrument would be 15 fingers (6”). Pakhawaj in North-India varies in size according to various requirements in scales. The average length of Pakhawaj would be 22’ to 26’. The right-side diameter would be 6’ to 7” and the left side would be 8” to 9.5”. (Taken from Mridanga Anka)
Pakhawaj
Mridang was also called muraj and later on in the thirteenth century it was known as maddalam. In the medieval period, after fifteenth century, there was yet another name for this instrument pakhavaj or pakhvaj. This instrument with its new name, which is a distorted version of pakh+ouj = pakhavaj or paksh+vadya = pakhvaj, became a major percussion instrument of North Indian classical music, whereas the instrument with other regional characteristics and with the name mridangam, developed in the Carnatic system. Though the name mridang has not faded into oblivion and is occasionally used as synonym for pakhavaj, the latter is the more popular and commonly used name for this instrument in north India. Pakhavaj acquired a place of great importance in Hindustani music till the nineteenth century. It was the only accompanying instrument of the dhrupad style of singing and for the instruments played in dhrupad style such as been, rabab, sursingar and surbahar, etc., and thus was looked upon with great reverence. With the fall of dhrupad and with the advent of khayal in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, pakhavaj also lost its reigning position, and made way for the tabla. Pakhavaj is mainly an instrument to be played upon with an open hand (thapi), which suppresses the delicateness of bols of khayal, thumri and sitar, whereas the tabla is played with fingers. It is a more supple and delicate instrument and suits the temperament of delicate and emotive kinds of musical forms such as khayal, thumri and sitar.
The instrument is barrel shaped with an asymmetrical convexity towards the left. In fact, the drum has a barley shape (yavakriti), one of the shapes referred to in Bharat's Natya Shastra and it is hollowed out of a block of wood. The wood used is of sheesham, khair, red sandalwood, vijaysar, etc. The total length of the instrument varies between two to two-and-a-half feet, the bulge is of about ninety centimetres circumference. The right face, which is smaller than the left, is the tuning face and emits the higher pitch, its circumference being about sixteen to twenty centimetres, i.e. six to eight inches. The circumference of the left face is about twenty-five centimetres, i.e. around ten inches. The circumference of the two faces is variable and is always kept in relation to the size of the instrument. The parchment called 'pudi' is prepared from two membranes, the inner complete skin and the outer peripheral ring. The two faces are held by braids (gajra) and connected by leather straps, which are sixteen in number and called ghat or ghar. The skin used for pudi parchment is of goat, whereas the baddhi or the braces are made of buffalo leather. Between the braces there are eight tuning blocks. For tuning, the blocks are pushed with a hammer to the left or the right; the pitch can be raised or lowered by this process. The blocks used in pakhavaj are bigger than those used in tabla. The preparation of the pudi of the right face is done exactly as the pudi prepared for the right tabla. But for the left face no black paste (syahi) is used. Instead, a temporary mixture of wheat or barley flour mixed with water is applied at the time of the concert, which is carefully scraped off just after the programme. There is no fixed weight or standard quantity of dough that should be applied, but the artist judges it by experience. The intention is to get the pitch of the left face just half of the right face, or if the half is not possible, it is reduced to one-third. The application of dough on the faces of percussion instruments is an old tradition, which is a very special characteristic of Indian drums. Till a few years ago the application of dough, as done on the left face of the pakhavaj, was also prevalent with the left drum of the tabla, but later it was substituted with a permanent mixture, i.e. 'syahi', which appeared more convenient. In some parts of Punjab, this is still prevalent in respect of the tabla. Application of the dough works in two ways, i.e. it controls the pitch of the left face and also gives depth and resonance to the tone, which leaves a majestic, sober impression on the listener.
While playing, the player sits with his legs crossed, the pakhavaj is kept horizontally on the ground or in the lap and played with palm and fingers. The instrument is equally suitable for accompaniment as well as for a solo performance and has to its credit a vast repertoire developed for centuries by stalwart pakhavaj players.
Some of the great pakhavajies are:Pt.Purushottam Das (Nathdwara),Pt.Ayodhya Prasad (Rampur), Swami Pagaldas (Ayodhya), Raja Chhatrapati Singh (Bijana), Lala Keval Kishan (Braj, mathura),Pt.Makkan Pakhavaji,Pt.Ambadas Agle (Indore),Pt.Totaram Sharma (Mathura), Pt.Ramashish Pathak (Darbhanga,Pt.Chanchal kumar Bhattacharya (Kolkata), Pt.Dalchand Sharma (Delhi),Pt.Devakinandan Goswami (Indore) and Pt.Ramjilal Sharma (Lucknow), have shown remarkable talent and perseverance in this field.