Maddalam (Madhalam) is a double headed drum instrument which looks like Mridangam but bigger and heavier than it. It has a projection on its body in the middle portion. Maddalam is used for Pancha Vadyam, Keli, Kathakali and Krishnanaattam.
The name Maddalam has been derived from the Sanskrit word “Marddalam”, meaning something which receives pressure. Maddalam normally received beating on its left and right heads from the player. There are two varieties of Maddalam – Suddha Maddalam and Toppi Maddalam. Suddha Maddalam belongs to Avanaddha Vadya catagory of Musical Instruments which are basically Membranophones.
The four Major Categories of Musical Instruments are Avanaddha Vadya, Ghana Vadya, Sushira Vadya and Tata Vadya. Avanaddha Vadya are Membranophones and Percussion Instruments. Ghana Vadya are Idiophones which are Solid Instruments that do not require tuning. Sushira Vadya are Aerophones or Wind Instruments. Tata Vadya are Chordophones or Stringed Instruments.
Construction
The hollow, open body of Maddala is made out of Jack wood where the sides are open like a Mridangam. The heads are made out of skin (normally bullock skin) and strings made out of buffalo skin are used to secure them on to the body on the sides.
Suddha Maddalam has the skin on the right head fixed with a paste made of boiled broken rice and charcoal. The process of applying the paste is known as “Choriduka” – “Chor” is the Malayalam word for boiled rice and “Iduka” literally means “Apply” in this context. The Toppi Maddalam will not have this special paste applied onto the skins. Toppi Maddalam is a smaller version of Suddha Maddalam. The Suddha Maddalam has different tones sounds between its left and right heads. The sound of Toppi Maddalam has not much difference between left and right heads.
Playing the Instrument
In the beginning, Maddalam was played by hanging it from the neck of the player. This style was changed by the late Maddalam Maestro Venkichan Swami in 1920’s. Nowadays Maddalam is played by suspending it from the player’s hip. The left head of Maddalam is played with the right palm and right head with left palm. Normally caps made out of cloth are used on right hand fingers except the thumb and both fingers and palm front are used for playing. The player stands all the while playing the Maddalam.
