text: TABLA : Membranophone
  NORTH INDIA
  The most popular percussion instrument of North Indian classical music. Consists of two drums- the 'bayan' or the left made of plated capper and the 'dayan' or the right made of wood. The left is a small spherical drum resembling the shape of the kettle drum. It is almost the same height as the right but has  a much wider playing surface and a smaller bottom compared to the the right. The playing surface of both the drums is made of goat skin, stretched across the top. A narrow membrane on the periphery on top of the full membrane is called Kinara or Chanti. The parchment  called pudi or chhavani is tied to t plaited strip called 'gajra' made of four of five leather braces. Gajra is fixed  to the mouth of the drum by means of leather braces called 'baddhi', which is tied to another ring at the bottom of the instrument.
  There are sixteen holes or 'ghar' to which the braces are tied at equal distance. In right drum there are eight tuning blocks or 'gatta' which are moved up  or down to vary the tension of the pudi. A black paste loaded in layers on the parchment, called syahi. An important rhythmic accompaniment to solo and instrumental music ensembles as well as a solo performance instrument. 
  