Madal, Strap Tension

A double-headed drum from east-central India and other parts of south Asia. It has a wood or baked clay body and strap or cord tensioned heads. It is played horizontally with both hands while slung from the players neck by a strap. The right-hand head is smaller and higher pitched than the left. Cowhide strips are pasted around the clay body for strengthening as well as decoration. The center area of the right head is permanently coated with a hardened paste of clay and rice. The left head is temporarily treated with a similar paste. This drum is also called khel and dumang in southern Bihar. (Also Madar, Mandar, Mandal, Mardal)