Khol: Difference between revisions

{{About|the clay drum of eastern India|the specific clay drum of Odisha|Mrudanga|the wooden drum of southern India|mridangamMridangam}}

| name = ''Khol''

| image_capt = MridangamMridanga alsobayan, termedor as Khol in Assam and Pung in Manipurkhol

The '''''khol''''' is a [[terracotta]] two-sided drum used in northern and [[eastern India]] for accompaniment with [[devotional music]] (''[[bhakti]]''). It is also known as a '''mridanga''' (< [[Sanskrit]] {{transl|sa|mritmṛd}} + {{transl|sa|angaaṅga}}, {{lit|clay limb}}), not to be confused with ''[[mridangam]]''. It originates from the Indian statestates of [[West Bengal]] from elite class-caste groups who brought it to the culture of, [[Assam]] and [[Manipur]] with the spread of the Vaishnavite sect. The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.

The khol is regarded as resembling to the ancient ''gopuchha'' shape of drums, as described in [[Natya Shastra]]. The right face of the drum has a high pitch and produces a metallic sound, whereas the left face, produces a lower bass sound. The larger side can be tuned with humidity. On a humid day the larger side will loosen up and vibrate more producing the lower sound. During a dry day the side tightens up producing a high pitched sound. Players of the instrument will add water to their drum if they feel it does not produce a low enough sound. They will put a bit of water on their finger and spread it around the edge of the large side. They will either let it sit there for a few minutes, or manually stretch it with their palm. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.india-instruments.com/encyclopedia-khol.html|title=Khol - India Instruments|website=www.india-instruments.com|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mridangams.com/2007/09/yathi.html|title=Yathi and Jathi - Classical Music Mridangam|website=www.mridangams.com|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref>

There are so many histories about its origin. Different types of Khol are available in north eastern India. [[Odisha]], Manipur, Bengal and Assamese Khol are commonly found in different forms. The wooden khol of Bengal was made into terracotta by the Assamese polymath [[Sankardev]] who brought the culture of Vaishnavism from Bengal into Northeastern India.<ref name="Indian Literature">{{cite book|title=Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vmVjAAAAMAAJ|access-date=23 December 2012|year=1970|publisher=Sähitya Akademi.|page=84}}</ref>

The khol is considered an integral part of the [[Ek Saran Naam Dharma]] culture and is used in ''[[bhaona]]'' (plays), ''[[gayan-bayan]]', ''prasanga-[[kirtan]]'' and ''[[borgeet]]''s (lyrical songs) in Assam. Assamese polymath [[Sankardev]]a is known to have adapted and evolved the tradition of ''gayan-bayan'' by using musical instruments like the khol and [[Taal (instrument)|taal]]. According to Assamese [[Vaishnavites|Neo-Vaishnavites]], playing the khol is regarded as a holy activity and it is also considered to be one of the most important traditional percussion instruments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/on-the-khol-trail/article21212672.ece|title=Soul of kirtans|last=Nandini|first=Dr M. Lalitha & M.|date=2017-11-30|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-10-20|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It is also a key musical instrument that accompanies a [[Sattriya]] performance.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Music and Musical Instruments of North Eastern India|last=Barthakur|first=Dilip Ranjan|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2003|isbn=81-7099-881-6}}</ref>

The instrument is used in every VisnuVishnu (Jagannath, Radha Krishna) temple in Odisha during [[arati]] rituals.