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The pakhavaj, pakhawaj, pakuaj, pakhvaj or pakavaj is an Indian barrel-shaped, two-headed drum,[1] the North Indian equivalent to the Southern mridangam. It is the standard percussion instrument in the dhrupad style and is widely used as an accompaniment for various forms of music and dance performances. The pakhavaj has a low, mellow tone, very rich in harmonics. Set horizontally on a cushion in front of the drummer's crossed leg, the larger bass-skin is played with the left hand, the treble skin by the right hand. The bass face is smeared with wet wheat dough which acts as the kiran and is the cause of the vivid, bass sound the Pakhawaj produces. This makes it very traditional in its built and rich in sound.
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The word Pakhāvaja is of Prakrit origin, whose Sanskrit equivalent is Pakṣavādya. This instrument is always known as Pakhavaj and not Pakshavadya. This word is derived from the words Pakṣa, meaning a side, and Vādya meaning an musical instrument. [2]
As with the tabla, the pakhawaj rhythms are taught by a series of mnemonic syllables known as bol. The playing technique vary from that of Tabla in many aspects viz. in the bass face, the artist hits with his whole palm instead of the finger tip hitting which is done in tabla. In the treble face, the artist very diligently hits his whole palm with the fingers properly placed on the skin to produce different bols.
In traditional pakhavaj-styles a student would learn a number of different strokes which produce a specific sound. These are remembered and practiced with corresponding syllables.
The very basic capacity is to play a theka in a particular tala or rhythmic cycle, as for instance chautala in 12 beats:
| dha dha | dhin ta || kite dha | dhin ta | tite kata | gadi gene |
Advanced students learn reelas that are virtuoso pakhawajist compositions.
Some of the notable pakhawaj players include: Arjun Shejwal'', Bhavani Shankar, Pratap Patil, Kunal Patil, Durga Lal, Talib Hussain, Dalchand Sharma, Partha Ghosh, Manik Munde, Sukhad Munde, Mohan Shyam Sharma, Ravishankar Upadhyay, Ramashish Pathak.Prakash Shejwal.Chitrangana Agale-Reswal.
Mahapurush Misra played the pakhawaj on the George Harrison Beatles song The Inner Light (song).[3]