Drums of India – II “The Pakhawaj”

The Pakhawaj is a North Indian percussion instrument. It is a widely played drum in the North Indian Classical music culture. It is mainly played in the Dhrupad and Dhamaar style of Music. Pakhawaj is the North Indian version of the South Indian drum Mridangam. It is a double faced, barrel shaped drum.

The faces are made of Goat skin and are tied up together with tuning leather thongs. The bass face is bigger in diameter than the treble face. It has a heavier sound than the Tabla, another North Indian drum. The treble face of the Pakhawaj is coated with a black paste like element, called the Syahi. The bass face is coated by dough whenever it is played. The tuning of the treble face is done by adjusting the baddis or the leather thongs and by adjusting the Gattus under the thongs. Gattus are small shell like wooden pieces used for tightening and tuning the faces of the Pakhawaj. Similar gattus are used in Tabla too.

Before the Tabla was born Pakhawaj was the percussion instrument widely used as an accompaniment with Hindustani Classical music. It is said that the better known cousin of the Pakhawaj, The tabla was invented by breaking a Pakhawaj into two parts by Amir Khusro, a noted musician in the 13th Century. However, the Tabla has now taken over as the preferred percussion accompaniment with Hindustani Classical music. Pakhawaj is played by resting it on the lap of the player. It is played by the use of fingers and palms of both hands.

Similar to the Tabla, Pakhawaj is also taught in the gurukul or the Gharana style. Every Gharana has a unique style of playing an instrument. As the tabla, the Pakhawaj is also taught through mnemonic syllables known as bol.

The rhythm is categorized as Taala but the usual rhythm played on Pakhawaj is of 12 and 14 beats.

Noted Pakhawaj players have been Ustad Talib Hussain, Pandit Purushottam Das, Pandit Anil Goswami, Pandit Akhilesh Gundecha of the Gundecha brothers, etc.

Linus Orakles
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