Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 54

Instrumental Music
over the right one and, on the left, an earthen ring. The ring on the left side should be covered with a pārikā taken from a six-month-old dead calf. Then, both the rings will have seven apertures each. After this, kalaśas, made of gold etc., seven in number and four angalas long, are to be tied with strings placed in the apertures on each side. Leaving a space of four angulas from the left face, a patrikā, made of iron and having a width of three angulas is to be firmly placed round the pațaha. The two covered faces are to be tied with the thick skin, called kavala, of the outer part of the body of a calf or goat. The kavala of the right side should be perforated all around. With the strings, placed on the right face, the kalaśas are to be firmly drawn and the strings tied well in the ring. With the strings placed in the seven holes in the kavala, the kalaśas are to be encircled and fixing them in the iron ring the kalaśas are to be kept in a compact form. Outside the kalasas, at the fringe of the left ring, there will be a kacchā (waist-band) for being put around the waist (of the player).
The desi pațaha is like the above with the difference that it is a cubit and a half long and its right and left faces are seven angulas and six and a half angulas respectively, its left face is tied with uddali (i.e. the skin of the animal's groin).
Both the above kinds of pațaha are made of Khadira wood. Each of them is divided into three classes--uttama, madhyama and adhama. Those described above are uttama.
The madhyama and the adhama are respectively one-twelfth and one-sixth less.
Mardala, also called mrdařga or muraja, is made in the following manner: made of the faultless (i.e. devoid of scars and cracks etc.) wood of the citron tree, one-half argula thick, 21 angulas long left face 14 angulas, right face 13 angulas, middle part thin, one angula thick at the faces, thick and round skin at both ends, in each of the two pieces of skin 40 holes one angula apart from one another; in the