In Kottayam Kodungoor, the skilled artisan Vazhoor Binu meticulously crafts Mridangams, a traditional Indian percussion instrument. The Art of Making a Mridangam begins with selecting jackfruit wood, known for its hardness and durability. After selecting the wood, workers cut it and take it to the mill. They add an extra inch to the required length to allow for processing. For example, if the desired length is 24 inches, they cut it to 25 inches. They then plane, level, and cut the wood into pieces before loading it onto the lathe.
Workers peel off the bark and let the wood dry, keeping it out of direct sunlight to prevent cracking. Proper air circulation is crucial during drying. This process takes about a year. Once dry, the skin is applied. The skin consists of three layers: a thick outer layer of buffalo skin, an inner layer of cow skin, and a top layer of goat skin.
The Art and Craftsmanship Behind the Making of a Mridangam
The Art and Craftsmanship Behind the Making of a Mridangam
The black stone, known as ‘Krishna Shila,’ is applied to the surface of the Mridangam. The paste is entirely black, heat-resistant, and applied in thin layers. The final step is tuning, which involves tightening the ropes evenly on all sides to achieve the desired pitch.
The Art of Making a Mridangam with three or four pitches on the right side requires modifying the instrument with an oval-shaped hammer. For instance, craftsmen typically tune a male Mridangam to 24 inches. They apply six coats to adjust a female Mridangam and modify the pitch accordingly.
Vazhoor Binu’s expertise and attention to detail ensures each Mridangam is a finely-tuned instrument, ready to produce the rich, resonant sound characteristics of this traditional Indian drum. The entire process, from selecting the wood to the final tuning, showcases the blend of traditional techniques and the artisan’s skill, resulting in a beautifully crafted Mridangam.
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