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Student's Scribe

My Thoughts and Research about

Mridangam in Carnatic Music

By : Sharada Mahadevan

One fine evening we were supposed to have a practice session with the mridangam artist before the main presentation in the temple. But the mridangam artist could not make it. So we had a practice session without the mridangam artist. So I was wondering why do we have to always have a mridangam artist during our presentation and that’s what led to my research now and below are few points about the mridangam and its importance in Carnatic music.

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The Mridangam is used in Carnatic music because it’s a double headed instrument, and one side produces a bass tone and the other side produces a higher pitch that can adapt to different musical moods. It is also a partner for the Carnatic vocalist.


Here are some fun facts about the Mridangam :

  • It is a south Indian Carnatic instrument.

  • The mridangam is made out of jackfruit wood.

  • ​The word mridangam is a Sanskrit word with mrid meaning clay and angam meaning part of the body. That gives me a thought don’t we use Angas in the alankaras.

  • The early 20th century is considered as the golden age of the mridangam.

  • Traditionally the mridangam is a heavy instrument because of its solid body.

  • Both the sides of the mridangam are covered by animal skin.

  • Just like the violin the mridangam has to be tuned to the Sruthi before playing. 

  • The Mridangam is one of the oldest percussion instrument in Carnatic music.

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