Khol
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208671023
2008-04-28T02:46:23Z
Badagnani
308437
:''This article is about khol, the Indian musical instrument. For the Austrian politician, see [[Andreas Khol]].
[[Image:Khol treble.jpg|thumb|right|Small drumhead of a khol]]
The '''khol''' also known as a '''mrdanga''' (lit. "mrit+anga" = "clay body") is a [[terracotta]] two-sided [[drum]] used in northern and eastern [[India]] for accompaniment with devotional music ([[bhakti]]). It originates from the Indian state [[West Bengal]]. In addition, it has uses in Bengali folk and semi-classical music.
One of the sides of the khol is much smaller than the other. Both sides are covered with naturally dead cow or goat skin. The smaller head (the dayan) and the bigger bass head (the baya) are usually three-layered heads in addition to a special central region of rice paste, glue, and iron known as the syahi. The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.
In [[ISKCON]] and in [[Gaudiya Vaishnava]] societies, the khol is the primary drum for [[kirtan]] and [[bhajan]].
As khols became popular in the West, many varieties of khols resulted. The traditional clay khol gave rise to a fiberglass skinned khol (same as clay with only a fiberglass body), a brass khol (same as clay with only a brass body), and Balarama mridanga (a mridanga with a fiberglass body and plastic heads).
[[Image:Khol Bass.jpg|thumb|right|Base of the same instrument]]
==External links==
*[http://www.chantandbehappy.com/drum/index.html How to play Khol: online lessons]
*[http://www.kksongs.org/khol/index.html KKSongs Khol Guide: online lessons]
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[[Category:Indian musical instruments]]
[[de:Khol (Trommel)]]
[[Category:Hand drums]]