The udukku, udukai, or udukkai (Tamil: உடுக்கை) is a type of drum from the family of membranophone percussion instruments found in India and Nepal. These drums are used in traditional music and religious prayers in Tamil Nadu.

The drums have an ancient design similar to the northern damaru and southern idakka. They are shaped like hourglass drums and have a small snare stretched over one side. Players use their bare hands to strike the drum, and the sound can be changed by squeezing the lacing in the middle. These drums are made of wood or brass and are easy to carry. They originated in Tamil Nadu. Other similar drums in the same family include the huruk, hurkî, hurko, hudko, hudka, and utukkai.

Another drum sometimes called udukkai is the damru, which is associated with Shiva in religious practices.

Hudukkâ

This drum, known since the 13th century, is made by adding wide, overhanging membranes to a barrel-shaped hourglass. The kuddukâ is similar but does not grelotet and is played with a stick. It is still used in ritual music and folk dances in Kerala by the Marârs caste. Because of its small size, it is also used by traveling musicians. These drums have adjustable tension that changes the sound's pitch during playing, giving them both melodic and rhythmic qualities.

The instrument is 48 centimeters long and 18 centimeters in diameter. Its body is carved from wood. Cow or goat skin membranes are attached to a thick (2 centimeters) ring (22 centimeters in diameter) made of vegetable fiber. This ring has six holes through which a cotton tension cord passes. The cord is also used to hold the membrane in place by lacing in a W shape. Bells are attached to the lacing.

The drum is hung from the percussionist's left shoulder using a strap. The right hand strikes the skin, while the left hand adjusts the tension by tightening the central part of the rope, which is covered with a wide cotton strip.

Huruk

This instrument has been known in northern India since the 16th century. It has different names in various regions: hurki in Uttar Pradesh, dâk or deru in Rajasthan, daklû in Gujarat, and guruki in Maharashtra.

The instrument is 25 cm long and has goat membranes attached to a bamboo or fig tree ring that sticks out from its body. The membranes are held in place by a Y-shaped cotton string that passes through six holes. A shoulder strap is attached where the inverted cones meet.

The left hand holds the string and supports the instrument, while the right hand strikes it on its front face. This instrument is used to play the karkâ, a type of martial ballad from Rajasthan and Punjab, and during folk dances.

Hudko

This drum is commonly found in northern India and Nepal. It is played during festivals by Damai musicians from the western regions of Nepal, including the Seti Zone, Mahakali Zone, and Kamali Zone. These musicians use the drum to accompany the recitation of the Mahabharata, folk songs, and ceremonies such as worship, marriage, and fasting. Festivals that include this drum are Nwaran and Bratabandha (व्रतबन्ध).

The drum has two heads made of goatskin and is constructed from wood and copper. It measures 30 centimeters long with a body that is 20 centimeters wide at the drumheads. The drum has a narrow middle section and is shaped using a lathe. Sometimes, metal is used instead of wood. A small hole is placed in the tightened part of the drum to allow air to move through the instrument. The goatskin membranes are attached to rings that are tied with cords, allowing the tension to be adjusted.

The drum is worn over the shoulder and played by a specific group of people. The left hand holds the instrument by gripping the central part and adjusts the tension to change the sound's pitch. The right hand strikes the single playing side of the drum. It is used during folk dances and jâgar shamanic rituals.

Udukku

The udukku (from Kerala) and utukkai (from Tamil Nadu) look similar to the Huruk. These instruments also have other names: studied, idaisurangu decked, and davandai (which means larger and thicker, and is played with a stick).

The body of these instruments is sometimes made of copper or terracotta. A stamp made of metal, plant fibers, or animal fibers is placed under the left membrane to create a special buzzing sound.

These instruments are used in temple rituals and sometimes replace the idakka. They also accompany songs sung during harvest celebrations called viladichanpate.