Mridanga

Mridangam, a percussion instrument from South India, is an indispensable rhythmic accompaniment in Karnatik concerts. The body of the mridangam is scooped out of a single block of jack wood or redwood. The two sides of this classical drum are made of goat skin and calf skin. The primary schools of mridangam are Puddukottai and Thanjavur schools. The tani avartanam played by a mridangist along with other percussionists is the highlight of a Karnatik concert.