Mrudanga
Guru Kishore Pradhan playing the Mrudanga | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Khola |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 211.222.1 (Membranophone directly struck by hand) |
| More articles or information | |
| Odissi music | |
Mrudanga (Odia: ମୃଦଙ୍ଗ, romanized: Mrudanga, Odia: [mrud̪ɔŋɡɔ] ⓘ), also known as Khola (Odia: ଖୋଳ, romanized: Khoḷa) is a classical percussive instrument native to the east Indian state of Odisha with a developed distinct traditional repertoire and technique. It has been used alongside the Mardala in Odissi classical music from ancient times, which is a comparatively bass-heavy drum as opposed to the high-pitched Mrudanga.
The Mrudanga is used in a wide range of traditional art forms of Odisha, including Pala, Sankirtana (Odisi Kirtana), Odissi dance, Bhagabata Tungi, Radha Prema Lila, Ramalila, Krusnalila and more. The instrument is different from other instruments that have similar names (as opposed to the Mridangam, used in South Indian music) in the Indian subcontinent due to its unique construction, acoustic features and traditional playing technique.