Laya 360

Mṛdaṅgam has a beautiful tone which embellishes a song when played with proper technique and Bhāva. A Mṛdaṅgam artiste should be familiar with at least 500 kṛti-s and varṇa-s to know how to play in such a way. Three important factors govern the nāda of Mṛdaṅgam,

1.⁠ ⁠The quality of the Mṛdaṅgam 

2.⁠ ⁠The pressure with which every stroke is played on the instrument.

3.⁠ ⁠Left and right side balancing of the Mridangam.

Every musical form such as kṛti, varṇa, niraval, kalpana svara, tillānā, abhaṅga, jāvali padam, requires a different way of playing. By knowing how to read the mindset of the artiste whom one is accompanying, one can achieve the art of playing appropriate strokes which will suit the music being performed.

Having said this, the Mṛdaṅgam artiste has to work and practice very hard in multiple perspectives including playing for niraval, kalpana svara, tillānā, abhaṅga, jāvali padam, varṇa-s and kṛti-s to achieve a stage that makes him or her play the strokes which gels with the song played or sung and takes the ora of the stage to the next level.