Maddalam of Palakkad, Kerala

Maddalam is considered to be a divine instrument or “deva vadys” because of its inclusion as a major accompaniment in the dance of Shiva. It dates back to the 13th century. It is  basically a percussion instrument used in Kerala as an accompaniment to temple art forms like Kathakali, Panchavadyam, Keli, etc. The Maddalam is cylindrical in shape and is still chiselled out of a single piece of jackfruit wood. The hollow ends of this elongated drum are tightly strapped with a combination of cow and buffalo leather to create the required percussion sounds. There are two varieties of Maddalam: Suddha Maddalam and Toppi Maddalam. The former is tied around the waist of the drummer with a cloth while the latter is suspended from the neck.