   Various views of a Mardala | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Odissi Mardala |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 211.222.1 (Membranophone directly struck by hand) |
| Volume | medium |
| Musicians | |
| AdiguruSinghari Shyamsundar Kar, GuruKelucharan Mahapatra, Guru Mahadeba Rout, GuruBanamali Maharana, GuruDhaneswar Swain, GuruSachidananda Das | |
| More articles or information | |
| Odissi music | |
Mardala (Odia:ମର୍ଦ୍ଦଳ,romanized: Mardaḷa,Odia:[mɔrd̪d̪ɔl̪ɔ]ⓘ) is a classical percussive instrument native to the east Indian state ofOdisha, traditionally used as the primary accompaniment inOdissi classical music.[1][2][3] The instrument is slightly different from other instruments (likeMadal,Mridangam, etc.) that might have similar names in theIndian subcontinent due to its unique construction, acoustic features and traditional playing technique.[4]
The Mardala is used in a wide range of traditional art forms of Odisha, includingGotipua, Mahari,Odissi dance, Bhagabata Tungi, Sakhi Nata,Prahallada Nataka,[5] Ramalila, Krusnalila, Rama Nataka,Sahi Jata, Medha Nacha,Bharata Lila, Bhutakeli Nata, Odisi Kirtana and more.[6][7]
Odishan musicologists in ancient treatises have mentioned four distinct kinds of instruments orvadyas :tat or stringed instruments,susira or wind instruments,anaddha or leather instruments / drums & finallyghana or metallic instruments.[1]
Out of these four, the Mardala falls under the category ofanaddha vadyas or drums.Raghunatha Ratha, an ancient musicologist of Odisha extols the Mardala in his treatise, theNatya Manorama as:[8]
ānaddhe marddaḻaḥ śreṣṭho
yatastallakṣaṇaṃbrube /
Among the membranophones,
Mardala is the superlative.
Herefrom I narrate its features.
TheJagannatha temple of Puri has for centuries had a Mardala servitor. This was known as the 'Madeli Seba' and the percussionist was ritually initiated into the temple by theGajapati ruler. The Mardala used to be the accompanying instrument to theMahari dance, the ancestor of present-dayOdissi dance, one of the major classical dance forms of India.
In hundreds of Kalingan temples across the state of Odisha, including famous shrines such asMukteswara andKonarka, the Mardala features prominently, usually in a niche of analasakanya playing the instrument. There is a pose by the namemardalika replicating the same stance in Odissi dance.
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All woods are not suitable for constructing the Mardala. According to treatises, the ideal Mardala is made ofkhadira (khaira) or the wood ofAcacia catechu. The wood ofraktachandana is also spoken of highly owing to its deep resonance. Other woods such asnimba,mahalimba andgambhari are also used.[2] An instrument fashioned from the aforesaid woods is considereduttama, whereas an instrument made from the wood of jackfruit is consideredadhama.[8]
Natya Manorama ordains the Mardala to be about one and a half cubits long. The left face must be between twelve and thirteenangulas and the right face half or oneangula less than the left face.[1][8]
The process of making a Mardala is described in detail in theNatya Manorama. The Mardala is thicker at the middle than its ends. A paste calledkharali is applied on the playing face of the Mardala in a round shape. The preparation ofkharali is a time-consuming and delicate process, requiring the ingredients ofpaunsa (ash),geru (red chalk),bhata (boiled rice),chuda (flattened rice),harida (fruit of black myrobalan tree) and sour gruel. This is applied to the right face of the Mardala. Thepurika is applied on the left face to produce a pleasant sound. The preparation of thepurika usesbhata (boiled rice),lia (blown rice) orpaunsa (ash).[1] Once done, the instrument is sun-dried. Once dried, the paste is reapplied and again sundried, and this process is repeated for at least twelve times before adjudging theshruti (tone) of the instrument. Then the instrument is tied strongly withpata-suta or leather strips and ready to be played.[8]
| Oṛiśī Sangīta |
| Odissi music |
|---|
 MahāprabhuJagannātha |
| Composers |
| Shāstras |
| Compositions |
| Instruments |
The playing of the Mardala is based on thetala-paddhati or rhythmic system ofOdissi music. Atala is a rhythmic structure in Indian music. Thetalas in use in Odissi music are distinctive, and are not found in other systems of Indian music.[2] The playing of the instrument follows a strict classical grammar.
Traditionally, there are ten vital features of tala that are taken care of:
The kriyas are eithernisabda, that is without-sound orsasabda, with sound. Thenisabda or soundless kriyas are demonstrated by four types of motions; there is no stroke. Thesasabda or sounded kriyas are created by striking a membrane. Apart from these, there are eightdesi-kriyas.[1] The regional terminology used in the Mardala's context arekalā, ansā, māna, aḍasā, bhaunri, bhaunri aḍasā, tāli, khāli, phānka, bāṇi, ukuṭa, pāṭa, chhanda, bhangi, etc.[9] Thesabda-swara pata, a traditional component based on the Mardala's beats was integrated into Odissi dance by GuruDeba Prasad Das.[10]
Though several hundred talas are defined in treatises, some are more common :ekatāli, khemaṭā orjhulā, rūpaka, tripaṭā, jhampā, āḍatāli, jati, āditala, maṭhā.[11] Other talas that are also used aresarimāna,nihsāri,kuḍuka, aḍḍa, duāḍamāna, upāḍḍa, panchutāla (nabapanchu tala), paḍitāla, pahapaṭa, aṭṭatāla, āṭhatāli andjagannātha tāla. The talas have a characteristic swing that is typical of and universally found in Odissi music. The details of some major talas are listed below.[1]
| Tala | Matra | Bibhaga | Chhanda | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ekatāli | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | khemaṭā | 6 | 2 | 3 + 3 |
| 3 | rūpaka | 6 | 2 | 2 + 4 |
| 4 | tripaṭā | 7 | 3 | 3+ 2 + 2 |
| 5 | jhampā | 10 | 4 | 2 + 3 + 2 + 3 |
| 6 | āḍatāli | 14 | 4 | 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 |
| 7 | jati | 14 | 4 | 3 + 4 + 3 + 4 |
| 8 | sarimāna | 14 | 4 | 4 + 2 + 4 + 4 |
| 9 | nihsāri | 10 | 4 | 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 |
An exclusive technique calledpaḍi is frequently employed in traditional Odissi songs. This is composed within the fixed prosody of the respective song. The padi is repeated in several different talas, layas and from different matras. Kabichandra Dr.Kali Charan Patnaik calls this feature 'the lifeline of Odissi music'.[2]
The Mardala is intimately associated with the Jagannatha temple and thus has a very esteemed position in the culture of Odisha. Many Gurus have worked for carrying forward the legacy of the instrument. AdiguruSinghari Shyamsundar Kar, GuruBanamali Maharana, Guru Padmanabha Panda, Guru Basudeba Khuntia, Guru Mahadeba Rout, Guru Narayana Mahapatra, Guru Banamali Maharana and GuruKelucharan Mahapatra were among the great Gurus of Mardala in the 20th century.
Guru Rabinarayan Panda, Guru Jayadeba Giri, Guru Janardana Dash, Guru Dhaneswar Swain, Guru Sachidananda Das, Guru Bijaya Kumar Barik, Guru Jagannath Kuanr are among modern-day exponents of the Mardala. Many veteran Gotipua masters have also excelled in the Mardala : Guru Birabara Sahu, Guru Lingaraj Barik, Guru Maguni Das and others.
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The role of the Mardala as a solo instrument has been presented for the last few decades with great success, apart from its better-known role as an accompaniment in the ensemble for Odissi music and dance.[12] The solo performances follow a specific rule orpranali : starting with ajamana, then proceeding ontochhanda prakarana,ragada, etc.[6] GuruDhaneswar Swain, the first solo Mardala player who have presented a solo performance on Mardala under the able guidance of GuruBanamali Maharana at Rabidra Mandap,Bhubaneswar which was very first of its kind.
Two state government institutions impart training in Mardala :Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya[13] andUtkal University of Culture.[14] Undergraduate, postgraduate degrees are offered. Many private institutions also impart training. Guru Banamali Maharana had established an institute called 'Mardala Academy' in Bhubaneswar, the state capital.[15] Ramahari Das Odissi Gurukul at Biragobindapur, Sakhigopal also offers training in Mardala[16][17] under GuruDhaneswar Swain, who also has his own institute called 'Vadya Vani Gurukul' which specialises in traditional percussion instruments of Odisha. Ensembles of traditional musical instruments of Odisha with the mardala taking the lead have also been conceptualised and executed.[6]
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