Mardala is a percussive instrument native to the east Indian state of Odisha. It is traditionally used as the primary percussive instrument in the ancient classical music of the state, Odissi music. The instrument is different from other instruments that might have similar names in the Indian subcontinent due to its unique construction, acoustic features and traditional playing technique. The Mardala is used in a wide range of traditional art forms of Odisha, including Gotipua, Mahari, Odissi dance, Bhagabata Tungi, Sakhi Nata, Prahallada Nataka, Ramalila, Krusnalila, Rama Nataka, Sahi Jata, Medha Nacha, Bharata Lila, Bhutakeli Nata, Odisi Kirtana and more.
History
Odishan musicologists in ancient treatises have mentioned four distinct kinds of instruments or vadyas : tat or stringed instruments, susira or wind instruments, anaddha or leather instruments / drums & finally ghana or metallic instruments. Out of these four, the Mardala falls under the category of anaddha vadyas or drums. Raghunatha Ratha, an ancient musicologist of Odisha extols the Mardala in his treatise, the Natyamanorama as : The Jagannatha 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 the Gajapati ruler. The Mardala used to be the accompanying instrument to the Mahari dance, the ancestor of present-day Odissi dance, one of the major classical dance forms of India. In hundreds of Kalingan temples across the state of Odisha, including famous shrines such as Mukteswara and Konarka, the Mardala features prominently, usually in a niche of an alasakanya playing the instrument. There is a pose by the name mardalika replicating the same stance in Odissi dance.
Construction
Wood
All woods are not suitable for constructing the Mardala. According to treatises, the ideal Mardala is made of khadira or the wood of Acacia catechu. The wood of raktachandana is also spoken of highly owing to its deep resonance. Other woods such as nimba, mahalimba and gambhari are also used. An instrument fashioned from the aforesaid woods is considered uttama, whereas an instrument made from the wood of jackfruit is considered adhama.
Measurements
Natyamanorama ordains the Mardala to be about one and a half cubits long. The left face must be between twelve and thirteen angulas and the right face half or one angula less than the left face.
Making
The process of making a Mardala is described in detail in the Natyamanorama. The Mardala is thicker at the middle than its ends. A paste called kharali is applied on the playing face of the Mardala in a round shape. The preparation of kharali is a time-consuming and delicate process, requiring the ingredients of paunsa, geru, bhata, chuda, harida and sour gruel. This is applied to the right face of the Mardala. The purika is applied on the left face to produce a pleasant sound. The preparation of the purika uses bhata, lia or paunsa. 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 the shruti of the instrument. Then the instrument is tied strongly with pata-suta or leather strips and ready to be played.
Repertoire and technique
The playing of the Mardala is based on the tala-paddhati or rhythmic system of Odissi music. A tala is a rhythmic structure in Indian music. The talas in use in Odissi music are distinctive, and are not found in other systems of Indian music. The playing of the instrument follows a strict classical grammar. Traditionally, there are ten vital features of tala that are taken care of :
kāla or beats
mārga or inter-beat transitions
kriyā or hand movements
anga
graha
jāti
kalā
laya
jati
prastāra
The kriyas are either nisabda, that is without-sound or sasabda, with sound. The nisabda or soundless kriyas are demonstrated by four types of motions ; there is no stroke. The sasabda or sounded kriyas are created by striking a membrane. Apart from these, there are eight desi-kriyas. The regional terminology used in the Mardala's context are kalā, ansā, māna, aḍasā, bhaunri, bhaunri aḍasā, tāli, khāli, phānka, bāṇi, ukuṭa, pāṭa, chhanda, bhangi, etc. The sabda-swara pata, a traditional component based on the Mardala's beats was integrated into Odissi dance by Guru Deba Prasad Das. for his contribution to Odissi Music and the Mardala|alt=Though several hundred talas are defined in treatises, some are more common : ekatāli, khemaṭā or jhulā, rūpaka, tripaṭā, jhampā, āḍatāli, jati, āditala, maṭhā. Other talas that are also used are nihsāri, kuḍuka, duāḍamāna, sarimāna, upāḍḍa, paḍitāla, pahapaṭa, aṭṭatāla, āṭhatāli and jagannātha. 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.
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
Padi
An exclusive technique called paḍi 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'.
Gurus
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. Adiguru Singhari Shyamasundar Kar, Guru Banamali Maharana, Guru Mahadev Rout, Guru Padmanabha Panda and Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra were among the great Gurus of Mardala in the 20th century. In recent times, due to the remarkable contributions of Guru Banamali Maharana, he has been hailed as the 'father of Mardala in the modern era'. Guru Sachidananda Das and Guru Dhaneswar Swain are major exponents of Mardala in present times. Other accomplished artistes include Guru Jayadev Giri, Guru Bijaya Kumar Barik and Guru Jagannath Kuanr.
The Mardala has been presented as a solo instrument for the last few decades with great success, apart from its traditional usage in the ensemble for Odissi music and dance. The solo performances follow a specific rule or pranali : starting with a jamana, then proceeding onto chhanda prakarana, ragada, etc.
Training
Two state government institutions impart training in Mardala : Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya and Utkal University of Culture. 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. Ramahari Das Odissi Gurukul at Biragobindapur, Sakhigopal also offers training in Mardala under Guru Dhaneswar 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.
