Antique Indian percussion instrument (ancestor of the tabla), the Dholak, Mridangam, 53 centimeters high x 24 in diameter. A superb and admirable piece, for playing, collecting, displaying...

About the product:

Ancient Indian percussion (Ancestor of the tabla)

The Dholak, Mridangam

Model 53 centimeters high x 24 in diameter.

100% new skins.

Weight: 5.7 kg

Contractual photos

🔹 1. Miscellaneous information:

Name of the instrument: Dholak

Family : Percussion – Membranophone

Geographical origin : North India

Traditional materials : Body: wood (often mango or sheesham)

Skins: goat or buffalo leather

Rope or screws: for tensioning the skins

Shape : barrel or elongated cylinder, two skins of different sizes

Playing technique : Played with the hands (or sometimes with the fingers and palms), in a horizontal position, often placed on the knees

🎼 Use:

Folk music of North India, Pakistan, Nepal

Religious music (bhajans, kirtans)

Popular music (festivals, weddings)

🕰️ Story:

Antiquity : Several centuries; used well before the tabla.

Connection with the tabla : The tabla is believed to have evolved from a similar instrument to the pakhawaj or dholak.

Evolution : The dholak remained popular in folk music while the tabla was refined in classical traditions.

🎶 Role in the evolution of the Tabla :

The Mridangam and the Pakhawaj are considered the direct predecessors of the tabla.

The Tabla is believed to have emerged in the 13th century or later, probably when the Pakhawaj (inspired by the Mridangam) was divided into two separate drums to meet the needs of Indo-Persian music.

The simpler and more popular Dholak represents a parallel folk version of the same double-skin principle.