Pakhavaj - Revision history

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	==See also==		==See also==
	~~{{Portal\|India\|Music}}~~
	* [[Mridangam]]		* [[Mridangam]]
	* [[Dhol]]		* [[Dhol]]

->Keith D: Proper accessdate

2021-09-29T16:01:43Z

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← Older revision		Revision as of 21:31, 29 September 2021
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	It is the percussion instrument most commonly used in the [[dhrupad]] style of Indian classical music and less often used as a rhythm accompaniment for various other sub-forms of music and dance performances (e.g. kathak). Unlike mridangam, it is made of wood and has a low, mellow tone that is quite rich in harmonics. The sides of the pakhawaj are made with animal skin (often goat skin). The pakhavaj players place the instrument horizontally in front of themselves as they sit on the floor with legs crossed. The players may sometimes place a cushion under the narrower treble face to lift it slightly. A right-handed person places the larger bass-skin on the left side and the treble skin on the right. The bass face tends to be smeared with some fresh wheat dough which acts as the ''kiran'' and gives a vivid bass sound to the pakhavaj.		It is the percussion instrument most commonly used in the [[dhrupad]] style of Indian classical music and less often used as a rhythm accompaniment for various other sub-forms of music and dance performances (e.g. kathak). Unlike mridangam, it is made of wood and has a low, mellow tone that is quite rich in harmonics. The sides of the pakhawaj are made with animal skin (often goat skin). The pakhavaj players place the instrument horizontally in front of themselves as they sit on the floor with legs crossed. The players may sometimes place a cushion under the narrower treble face to lift it slightly. A right-handed person places the larger bass-skin on the left side and the treble skin on the right. The bass face tends to be smeared with some fresh wheat dough which acts as the ''kiran'' and gives a vivid bass sound to the pakhavaj.

	The tuning of Pakhavaj is similar to that of the [[tabla]] - with the wooden wedges placed under the tautening straps. Due to the varied thickness of the skin that covers the treble face, the treble face can produce at least two tones that are a [[semitone]] apart. For example, if hitting the centre (the [[bol (music)\|bol]] दिन ''din'') is tuned to produce the note C then hitting closer to the edge (with the [[bol (music)\|bol]] ता for example) could produce the note C#. The fine tuning can be done with the woven outer ring (गजरा - ''gajra'') which is an extension of the skin that the face is made of. It is only on the bass skin where a freshly made batter (or dough) of (wheat) flour and water is applied to provide enhance the low-pitched sound.<ref name="(N.A.)" group="">{{cite web\|last1=Pakhavaj\|first1=Tuning\|title=Tuning Pakhavaj\|url=http://www.indian-instruments.com/drums_and_percussion/pakhawaj.htm\|website=indian-instruments.com\|publisher=(N.A.)\|access-date=~~(N.A.)~~}}</ref>		The tuning of Pakhavaj is similar to that of the [[tabla]] - with the wooden wedges placed under the tautening straps. Due to the varied thickness of the skin that covers the treble face, the treble face can produce at least two tones that are a [[semitone]] apart. For example, if hitting the centre (the [[bol (music)\|bol]] दिन ''din'') is tuned to produce the note C then hitting closer to the edge (with the [[bol (music)\|bol]] ता for example) could produce the note C#. The fine tuning can be done with the woven outer ring (गजरा - ''gajra'') which is an extension of the skin that the face is made of. It is only on the bass skin where a freshly made batter (or dough) of (wheat) flour and water is applied to provide enhance the low-pitched sound.<ref name="(N.A.)" group="">{{cite web\|last1=Pakhavaj\|first1=Tuning\|title=Tuning Pakhavaj\|url=http://www.indian-instruments.com/drums_and_percussion/pakhawaj.htm\|website=indian-instruments.com\|publisher=(N.A.)\|access-date=10 November 2017}}</ref>

	==Etymology==		==Etymology==
	The word पखावज - ''{{IAST\|pakhāvaja}}'' or ''{{IAST\|pakhavāja}}'' is of [[Prakrit]] origin, whose [[Sanskrit]] equivalent is पक्षवाद्य {{IAST\|pakṣavādya}}. This word is derived from the words पक्ष {{IAST\|pakṣa}} ("a side"), and वाद्य ''{{IAST\|vādya}}'' ("a musical instrument"). It is said that during the 14th century, the great mridangists experimented with the materials used in mridang construction and finally started using wood for the main body as opposed to the original clay. Thus, a new name ''pakhavaj'' emerged, whilst the older name, mridang was still used.<ref name="Turner1975">{{cite book\|author=Ralph Lilley Turner\|author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner\|title=Collected papers, 1912-1973\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9TshAAAAMAAJ\|access-date=25 December 2012\|year=1975\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|isbn=9780197135822}}</ref>		The word पखावज - ''{{IAST\|pakhāvaja}}'' or ''{{IAST\|pakhavāja}}'' is of [[Prakrit]] origin, whose [[Sanskrit]] equivalent is पक्षवाद्य {{IAST\|pakṣavādya}} and Tamil pakkavadyam used to denote side instruments in carnatic. This word is derived from the words पक्ष {{IAST\|pakṣa}} ("a side"), and वाद्य ''{{IAST\|vādya}}'' ("a musical instrument"). It is said that during the 14th century, the great mridangists experimented with the materials used in mridang construction and finally started using wood for the main body as opposed to the original clay. Thus, a new name ''pakhavaj'' emerged, whilst the older name, mridang was still used.<ref name="Turner1975">{{cite book\|author=Ralph Lilley Turner\|author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner\|title=Collected papers, 1912-1973\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9TshAAAAMAAJ\|access-date=25 December 2012\|year=1975\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|isbn=9780197135822}}</ref>

	==Technique==		==Technique==

imported>Ira Leviton: Added transliteration tags so that non-English words aren't detected as typos by spellcheckers like Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss. Please also see Template:Lang#Rationale.

2021-06-08T01:42:52Z

Added transliteration tags so that non-English words aren't detected as typos by spellcheckers like Wikipedia:Typo_Team/moss. Please also see Template:Lang#Rationale.

New page

{{Infobox instrument
|name=Pakhavaj
|names=
|image= File:Pakhawaj.JPG
|image_capt=
|background=percussion
|hornbostel_sachs=
|hornbostel_sachs_desc=
|developed=14th century, during Mughal period
|range=
|related= [[mridangam]], [[khol]], [[tabla]], [[kendang]]
|musicians=
|articles= [[Hindustani music]]
}}

The '''pakhavaj''' is a barrel-shaped, two-headed drum, originating from the [[Indian subcontinent]],<ref name="Blades1992">{{cite book|author=James Blades|title=Percussion Instruments and Their History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a8V3Z6j2ExEC&pg=PA138|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1992|publisher=Bold Strumme|isbn=978-0-933224-61-2|pages=138–}}</ref> a variant and descendant of the older [[mridangam]]. The [[kendang]] of [[Maritime Southeast Asia]] is a distant relative of the pakhawaj and other South Asian double-headed drums.

It is the percussion instrument most commonly used in the [[dhrupad]] style of Indian classical music and less often used as a rhythm accompaniment for various other sub-forms of music and dance performances (e.g. kathak). Unlike mridangam, it is made of wood and has a low, mellow tone that is quite rich in harmonics. The sides of the pakhawaj are made with animal skin (often goat skin). The pakhavaj players place the instrument horizontally in front of themselves as they sit on the floor with legs crossed. The players may sometimes place a cushion under the narrower treble face to lift it slightly. A right-handed person places the larger bass-skin on the left side and the treble skin on the right. The bass face tends to be smeared with some fresh wheat dough which acts as the ''kiran'' and gives a vivid bass sound to the pakhavaj.

The tuning of Pakhavaj is similar to that of the [[tabla]] - with the wooden wedges placed under the tautening straps. Due to the varied thickness of the skin that covers the treble face, the treble face can produce at least two tones that are a [[semitone]] apart. For example, if hitting the centre (the [[bol (music)|bol]] दिन ''din'') is tuned to produce the note C then hitting closer to the edge (with the [[bol (music)|bol]] ता for example) could produce the note C#. The fine tuning can be done with the woven outer ring (गजरा - ''gajra'') which is an extension of the skin that the face is made of. It is only on the bass skin where a freshly made batter (or dough) of (wheat) flour and water is applied to provide enhance the low-pitched sound.<ref name="(N.A.)" group="">{{cite web|last1=Pakhavaj|first1=Tuning|title=Tuning Pakhavaj|url=http://www.indian-instruments.com/drums_and_percussion/pakhawaj.htm|website=indian-instruments.com|publisher=(N.A.)|access-date=(N.A.)}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The word पखावज - ''{{IAST|pakhāvaja}}'' or ''{{IAST|pakhavāja}}'' is of [[Prakrit]] origin, whose [[Sanskrit]] equivalent is पक्षवाद्य {{IAST|pakṣavādya}}. This word is derived from the words पक्ष {{IAST|pakṣa}} ("a side"), and वाद्य ''{{IAST|vādya}}'' ("a musical instrument"). It is said that during the 14th century, the great mridangists experimented with the materials used in mridang construction and finally started using wood for the main body as opposed to the original clay. Thus, a new name ''pakhavaj'' emerged, whilst the older name, mridang was still used.<ref name="Turner1975">{{cite book|author=Ralph Lilley Turner|author-link=Ralph Lilley Turner|title=Collected papers, 1912-1973|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9TshAAAAMAAJ|access-date=25 December 2012|year=1975|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780197135822}}</ref>

==Technique==
{{unreferenced section|date=October 2020}}
As with the [[tabla]], the pakhavaj rhythms (or ''[[Tala (music)|tala]]'') are taught by a series of [[mnemonic]] syllables known as ''bol''. The playing technique varies from that of tabla in many aspects. Most remarkably, the artist hits the bass face - which would be the left side of pakhavaj for a right-handed person - with the whole palm instead of with the finger tips as is done with a tabla. The treble face - which would be the right side of the pakhavaj for a right-handed person - is played with varied configurations of the fingers to produce different bols according to a given rhythm, whereas the traditional mode is to use the whole hand in order to produce the pure and perfect sound, called 'chanti'.

In traditional pakhavaj styles a student would learn a number of different strokes which produce a specific sound. These are remembered and practised with corresponding syllables i.e. mnemonics. This memorisation is often referred to as पढ़न्त in Hindi. While pakavaj mnemonics share some similarity with the tabla mnemonics, the interpretation of the same mnemonics may be different in pakhavaj and vary according to the respective [[gharana]] - e.g. the Nana Panse gharana and the Nathdwara gharana.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pacciolla, Paolo|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1154017106|title=The Indian drum of the king-god and the pakhāwaj of nathdwara|isbn=978-0-367-37024-4|location=New York|oclc=1154017106}}</ref>

Indian classical music tradition encourages the percussionist to verbally recite the rhythm as expressed in these mnemonics. Since the percussionist is expected to improvise one's own rhythms, having a good knowledge of mnemonics helps in finding a common ground with the musician who a percussionist accompanies. As a percussionist may be required to play the rhythm quite fast at times (i.e. the [[drut]] laya) - these mnemonics are designed to assist fast recital by the percussionist.

=== Mnemonics ===
The following are some mnemonics that are popular.<ref name="AKumar">{{cite book|author=Ajay Kumar|title=Pakhawaj: Origin, Development and Playing Styles|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pakhawaj-Origin-Development-Playing-Styles/dp/B01E5XOGXE/|year=2010|access-date=Oct 2, 2020}}</ref>

# दिन (din) - This sound is made by gently hitting the centre of the treble face with all fingers except the thumb and leaving the hand quickly enough to allow a resonating sound. The resonant sound thus produced often serves as a bridge to the next mnemonic in the rhythm.
# ता (ta) - This sound is made by waving the hand from down to up while brushing the top of the treble face with the part of the hand slightly below the little finger. This produces a resonating sound which often serves as the last mnemonic of the rhythm's sub-cycle.
# घे (ghe) - This sound is made by hitting the bass part with all fingers except the thumb closed.
# धा (dha) - This is a compound mnemonic composed of घे and ता and is thus played with both hands simultaneously on the pakhavaj.
# तिट (tiTa) - This sound is produced on the treble face in two parts. Both parts are muted hits and are produced by leaving the hand on the face to suppress the resonance that would have been caused if the hand were to quickly hit the face (i.e. taken away immediately). The first part is a muted hit with the middle, ring and little finger and the second part is a muted hit with just the index finger.
# क (ka) - This sound is produced on the bass face with a muted hit with all fingers of the hand.
# न (n) - This is a muted sound made on the treble face with the middle and ring fingers.
# ना (na) - This is similar to the equivalent sound in tabla. The ring finger needs to be on the border separating the syahi (black center of the treble face) while the index finger is used hit the edge and lifted immediately to produce a resonating tone (higher than that of the center).
# तिन (tin) - This sound is similar to ना(na) but the index finger is used to hit the मैदान (maidan) - the area between the outermost ring and the inner circle (''syahi'').
# कत (kata) - This is a compound sound produced made by playing क(ka) and ता (ta) in succession (not simultaneously like in धा - dha).
# गन (gan) - This is a compound sound produced made by playing क(ka) and न (n) in succession.
# गदि (gadi) - This is a compound sound produced made by playing क(ka) and दिन (din) in succession.

Alternative names are sometimes used for some of the mnemonics (bol) in order to assist fast recital. For example, घे (ghe) could also be pronounced थुन् (thun) and तिट (tiTa) could also be pronounced as किट(kiTa).

=== Rhythms of tala ===
A basic exercise that a beginner is expected to learn is playing a ''theka'' (pattern) in a particular ''[[Tala (music)|tala]]'' or rhythmic cycle. For example, the simple bols for {{transl|hi|chautal}} or {{transl|hi|chartal}} (unrelated to [[chowtal]] - the folksong style from the Bhojpuri-speaking region) in 12 beats are as follows:

''|धा धा | दिन ता | तिट धा | दिन ता | तिट कत | गदि गन |''

''| dha dha | din ta || tiTa dha | din ta | tiTa kata | gadi gana |''

Learners typically advance to practising ''rela''s (which are compositions performed at high tempo/laya).

Another tala used often in compositions is Dhamaar tala(14 beats) - which follows the scheme of 3-2-2-3-4 and sometimes 3-2-2-3-2-2 - varying according to the particular correspondence.
The theka for Dhamara tala is
|Ka dhi ta | dhi ta| dha S |Ga di na | di na ta S |
Another impressive tala is Sultala(10 beats) or Sur-fank tala following the scheme of 2-2-2-2-2 notable by the theka of | Dha kete | Nak Dhi | Ghere Nak | Gad Di | Ghere Nak |

A few other talas used in the pakhavaj are the Therwa (7 beats/3-2-2) tala, Matta tala(9 beats/4-2-3 and sometimes 4-1-4), Teentala (16 beats/4-4-4-4) and Pancham Sawari(15 beats/3-4-4-4). These are not as common.

== Notable Players ==
Nana Panse, Nathdwara and Kudai Singh may be the primary surviving [[gharana]]s of pakhawaj but there are at least 11 styles that can be traced in recent history - Jaawli, Mathura, Punjab, Kudau Singh, Nana Saheb Panse, Naathdwara, Bishnupur, Gurav parampara, Mangalvedhekar, Gwalior, Raigarh, Gujarat, Jaipur and Jodhpur.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mistrī|first=Ābāna E.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_jSKQgAACAAJ|title=Pakhawaj & Tabla: History, Schools, and Traditions|date=1999|publisher=Pt. Keki S. Jijina|language=en}}</ref> Given the long history of the instrument, it is difficult to be exhaustive with the list of prominent pakhavaj players, but here are a few prominent pakhavaj players from recent times.
# Lala Bhagwandas
#Nanasaheb Panse
#Kudau Singh
#Purshottam Das (1907-1991)
#Swami Pagal Das Ji (1920-1997)
#Pandit Raja [[Chatrapati Singh|Chhatrapati Singh]] (1919–1998)
#Pandit Shrikant Mishra (1952-2012)
#Pandit Ayodhya Prasad
#[[Taranath Rao|Pandit Taranath Rao]]
#[[Purushottam Das|Pandit Purushottam Das]]
#Manik Munde
#S. V. Patwardhan
#Arjun Shejwal
#Ramji Upadhyay
#Govindrao Burhanpurkar
#Pandit Murlidhar Sharma
#Tota Ram Sharma
#Akhilesh [[Gundecha Brothers|Gundecha]]
#Pandit Ravi Shankar Upadhyay
#Mohan Shyam Sharma
#Shri Chanchal Bhattacharya
#Pandit Dalchand Sharma
#Mridangacharya Sri Gurudas Ghosh
#Pandit Prabal Nath

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Music}}
* [[Mridangam]]
* [[Dhol]]
* [[Khol]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian musical instruments}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hindustani musical instruments]]
[[Category:Hand drums]]
[[Category:Pitched percussion]]
[[Category:Indian musical instruments]]