The dholak is a traditional drum and percussion instrument from South Asia. It is typically between 16 to 24 inches long. It is used in many musical styles, including qawwali, kirtan, bhajan, bhangra, chutney, baithak gana, Hindi film music, lokgeet, and classical forms like Hindustani, Carnatic, and Trinidadian/Guyanese taan. The dholak has two drumheads of different sizes. The smaller drumhead, which is 5.5 to 8 inches in diameter, is used for high-pitched sounds. The larger drumhead, which is 7.5 to 10 inches in diameter, is used for low-pitched sounds. These two drumheads create a mix of high and low sounds. The body of the dholak is made from sheesham or mango wood. The larger drumhead has a mixture of tar, clay, and sand, called "masala," which helps lower the pitch and produce sound. The smaller drumhead is played with the person’s stronger hand, and the larger drumhead is played with the weaker hand. A dholak can be tuned using nuts and bolts or a rope and steel rings. In the Indian subcontinent, only one set of rings is used to tune the high-pitched side. In the Caribbean (Trinidad, Guyana, and Suriname), hook screws are used on both sides of the dholak to tune the high and low pitches. The dholak can be played in three ways: on the player’s lap, while standing, or with one knee pressing down while sitting on the floor.
Construction
The smaller part of the dholak is made from goat skin, which creates clear, high-pitched sounds. The larger part is made from buffalo skin, which produces deeper, low-pitched sounds. This combination allows the instrument to create both high and low tones in rhythm.
The shell of the dholak is sometimes made from sheesham wood, also known as Dalbergia sissoo. However, less expensive dholaks may use other types of wood, such as mango. In Sri Lanka, the dholak was introduced from India and has gained some popularity there in recent years.
Usage
The dholak is used in many types of music, such as qawwali, kirtan, lavani, and bhangra. It was used in classical dance in the past. Indian children sing and dance to the dholak during pre-wedding celebrations. It is also found in Filmi Sangeet (music from Indian films), chutney music, chutney-soca, baitak gana, taan singing, bhajans, and the local Indian folk music of Jamaica, Suriname, Guyana, the Caribbean, South Africa, Mauritius, and Trinidad and Tobago. These regions received the dholak through indentured immigrants. In the Fiji Islands, the dholak is used in Indian folk music, bhajans, and kirtan.
The dholak has two drumheads. The higher-pitched head is a simple membrane. The lower-pitched head, usually played with the left hand, has a compound syahi to reduce the pitch and create the dholak’s sliding sound, called "giss" or "gissa." This sound is made from residue left after pressing mustard oil, and sometimes sand or oil and tar are added to it.
Playing style
The drum can be played on the player's lap or, when standing, carried over the shoulder, around the waist, or held down with one knee while sitting on the floor.
In some playing styles, like Punjab, a metal ring worn on the thumb is used to create a unique "chak" sound on the drum's edge. In other styles, such as Rajasthani, all fingers are typically used to strike the drum.
Skilled dholak players often sing or chant and may provide main entertainment or lead drumming for a dance group. A common rhythm played on the dhol involves a fast pattern of short and long beats, which can be counted as "one – tah and – tah two – tah and – tah three- e – tah , four and " (rest on "and") or as a series of repeated short and long beats, with the lower-pitched side used for making up music freely.
On larger dholaks, called dhols, the high-pitched part is struck with a thin, long stick made of rattan or bamboo (rattan is preferred because it bends easily), and the low-pitched part is struck with a thicker, angled stick.
Variants
The dholki, also called naal, is a type of drum. It is usually narrower and uses a special paste on its treble skin. The treble skin is sewn onto an iron ring, similar to the way East Asian Janggu or Shime-daiko drums are made. This tightens the skin before it is attached. The bass skin is often made the same way as in a regular dholak drum, using a bamboo ring. Sometimes, the bass skin has a kinar and pleated Gajra, like those found on tabla drums, to handle extra tension. Drums with similar names and designs can also be found in other parts of Western Asia.