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<div>{{other uses|Khol (disambiguation)}}<br />
{{About|the clay drum of eastern India|the wooden drum of southern India|mridangam}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox instrument<br />
| name = Khol<br />
| names = Mridanga<br />
| image = Mridanga 1.jpg<br />
| image_capt = Mridangam also termed as Khol in Assam and Pung in Manipur<br />
| background = [[Percussion]]<br />
| classification = [[Membranophones]]<br />
| inventors =<br />
| developed =<br />
| range =<br />
| related =[[Tabla]], [[Dholak]]<br />
| musicians =<br />
| builders =<br />
| articles =<br />
}}<br />
[[File:Mridanga 2.jpg|right|thumb]]<br />
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The '''khol''' is a [[terracotta]] two-sided drum used in northern and [[eastern India]] for accompaniment with [[devotional music]] (''[[bhakti]]''). It is also known as a '''mridanga''' (< [[Sanskrit]] {{transl|sa|mrit}} + {{transl|sa|anga}}, {{lit|clay limb}}), not to be confused with ''[[mridangam]]''. It originates from the Indian state of [[West Bengal]] from elite class-caste groups who brought it to the culture of [[Assam]] and [[Manipur]] with the spread of the Vaishnavite sect. The drum is played with palms and fingers of both hands.<br />
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== Description ==<br />
The khol is regarded as resembling to the ancient ''gopuchha'' shape of drums, as described in [[Natya Shastra]]. The right face of the drum has a high pitch and produces a metallic sound, whereas the left face, produces a lower bass sound.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.india-instruments.com/encyclopedia-khol.html|title=Khol - India Instruments|website=www.india-instruments.com|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mridangams.com/2007/09/yathi.html|title=Yathi and Jathi - Classical Music Mridangam|website=www.mridangams.com|access-date=2019-10-20}}</ref><br />
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==Construction==<br />
[[File:Mridanga parts by Jan Kraus.jpg|thumb|right|Parts of the khol (mridanga)]]<br />
The khol is a drum with a hollow earthen body, with drumheads at both ends, one far smaller than the other. The drumheads are made of cow or goat skin, and are three-layered and treated with a circle of rice paste, glue, and iron known as ''[[syahi]]''. Some modern instruments are made with a fibreglass body and synthetic drumheads.<br />
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==History==<br />
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There are so many histories about its origin. Different types of Khol are available in north eastern India. [[Odisha]], Manipur, Bengal and Assamese Khol are commonly found in different forms. The wooden khol of Bengal was made into terracotta by the Assamese polymath [[Sankardev]] who brought the culture of Vaishnavism from Bengal into Northeastern India.<ref name="Indian Literature">{{cite book|title=Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vmVjAAAAMAAJ|access-date=23 December 2012|year=1970|publisher=Sähitya Akademi.|page=84}}</ref><br />
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==Use==<br />
The khol is considered an integral part of the [[Ek Saran Naam Dharma]] culture and is used in ''[[bhaona]]'' (plays), ''[[gayan-bayan]]', ''prasanga-[[kirtan]]'' and ''[[borgeet]]''s (lyrical songs). Assamese polymath [[Sankardev]]a is known to have adapted and evolved the tradition of ''gayan-bayan'' by using musical instruments like the khol and [[Taal (instrument)|taal]]. According to Assamese [[Vaishnavites|Neo-Vaishnavites]], playing the khol is regarded as a holy activity and it is also considered to be one of the most important traditional percussion instruments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/on-the-khol-trail/article21212672.ece|title=Soul of kirtans|last=Nandini|first=Dr M. Lalitha & M.|date=2017-11-30|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-10-20|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It is also a key musical instrument that accompanies a [[Sattriya]] performance.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Music and Musical Instruments of North Eastern India|last=Barthakur|first=Dilip Ranjan|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=2003|isbn=81-7099-881-6}}</ref><br />
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The instrument is used in every Visnu (Jagannath, Radha Krishna) temple in Odisha during [[arati]] rituals.<br />
The drum is used to accompany Odia, Bengali [[kirtan]]s by medieval poets like [[Chandidas]], [[Govindadasa]] and [[Gyanadas]]. It is also used to accompany [[Gaudiya Nritya]], one of the nine [[Indian classical dance]]s (as recognized by Ministry of Culture, and not recognized by [[Sangeet Natak Akademi]]).<br />
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In the [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness]] (ISKCON, "Hare Krishnas") and in [[Gaudiya Vaishnava]] societies, the khol is the primary drum for [[bhajan]] and kirtan.<br />
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==See also==<br />
{{Portal|India|Music}}<br />
*[[Mridangam]]<br />
*[[Tabla]]<br />
*[[Thavil]]<br />
*[[Karatalas]]<br />
*[[Maddale]], an instrument used in [[Yakshagana]]<br />
*[[Dholak]]<br />
*[[Manoj Kumar Das]]<br />
*[[Samphor]]<br />
*[[Taphon]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{commons category|Mridanga}}<br />
* [http://www.mridanganet.blogspot.com Mridanganet.blogspot.com]<br />
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{{Indian musical instruments}}<br />
{{Worship in Hinduism}}<br />
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[[Category:Indian musical instruments]]<br />
[[Category:Hand drums]]<br />
[[Category:Culture of Assam]]</div>2409:4065:E16:77FF:76A5:72DB:3E1E:6E18