Pakhawaj

Dhrupad Percussion Pakhawaj

3 minute read

The Pakhawaj is a traditional North Indian barrel-shaped drum, integral to classical music and dance performances. Originating from the ancient mridangam, the Pakhawaj has evolved to produce a deep, resonant sound, characterized by its two distinct drumheads. Played with the hands, it offers a wide range of tonal nuances, making it essential in performances of dhrupad—a classical vocal genre known for its meditative and spiritual depth.

Historically, the Pakhawaj has been associated with temple rituals and classical dance forms, providing rhythmic support and enhancing the spiritual ambiance of performances. Renowned players such as Pandit Uday Bhawalkar have been instrumental in preserving and promoting its legacy, often accompanying dhrupad singers to enrich the musical experience.

At the Darbar Festival, the Pakhawaj has been showcased in several performances. For instance, in October 2022, Pandit Uday Bhawalkar presented a dhrupad recital at the Barbican Centre’s Milton Court Concert Hall, accompanied by Pratap Awad on the Pakhawaj. This performance exemplified the Pakhawaj’s crucial role in classical music, providing a rhythmic foundation that complemented the vocal nuances of dhrupad singing.

Pratap Awad performs the pakhawaj whilst accompanying Pandit Uday Bhawalkar (Dhrupad vocalist) at Darbar Festival 2022.

Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill, and inspire. Explore our YouTube channel or subscribe to the Darbar Player to watch extended festival performances, talks, and documentaries in pristine HD and UHD quality.

Dhrupad by Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar

Fri, 30 Oct 2026, 12:00

Milton Court, Guildhall School of Music

Buy Ticket Read more

Dhrupad, Percussion, Pakhawaj

Sukhad Munde hails from a distinguished family of pakhawaj maestros—his father, Pt. Manik Munde, being a prominent exponent of the tradition. Born on January 13, 1959, he began rigorous training under his...

Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar

Dhrupad, Hindustani, Rudra Veena, Vocal

Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar (15 June 1932 – 8 May 2013) was a master vocalist of the Dagar family’s Dhrupad tradition. Born in Udaipur, Rajasthan, he received his early training in vocal and...

Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar

Dhrupad, Hindustani, Rudra Veena

Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (14 March 1929 – 28 September 1990), fondly known as Bade Ustad, was a revered rudra veena master and member of the Dagar family’s 19th generation of dhrupad practitioners. Born...

Explore all our live and on-demand music courses guided by world-class maestros. From beginners taking their first steps to advanced students refining their craft, our globally accessible platform empowers you to learn, grow, and connect deeply with the tradition of Indian classical music

Pandit Ram Mallick & Samit Mallick | Dhrupad | Full Concert

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2017, on 11th November, at Lilian Bayliss Studio, Sadler's Wells, London. Musicians: - Pandit Ram Kumar Mallick (Dharbanga Dhrupad) - Samit Mallick (Dharbanga Dhrupad) - Surdarshan Chana (Jori) - Seetal Dhadyalla (Tanpura) - Keertan Reha (Tanpura) The Darbhanga tradition of dhrupad gayaki combines melody, rhythm and poetry to create a powerful style. It follows two schools of dhrupad syllables - the Khandarvani and Gauharvani that synthesize the poetry and melody into an astounding interpretation of dhrupad through intense rhythmic elaboration. Pandit Ram Kumar Mallick and Samit Mallick are leading exponents of this gharana. In this Director’s Cut concert, they present two morning ragas – Lalit and Bhairav. Lalit is elaborated with a patient alap that gradually reveals its texture, first in the lower octave and then unfolds one note at a time over the middle octave. With a combination of Khandarvani and Gauharvani syllables, a linear pulse is introduced wherein, ample emphasis is laid on the lower tetra chord - the hot-bed on which Lalit unfurls its wings for flight. The pulse quickens, introducing the jod. Pandit Mallick’s voice has a husky charm which couples with Samit’s energy and groove to lay out an intricate design of the jhalla in Darbhanga style. Their crisp delivery of the syllables along with heavy-set and meend-based gamaks build the rendition into an intense, condensed body that embodies the raga, technique and soul in apposite measures. The composition in Lalit is set to a 12-beat cycle of Chaar taal. Surdarshan Chana joins in with a powerful and irresistibly mystique sound of the jori. His highly intuitive and poised accompaniment transforms the listener’s experience into one of transcendence. With spontaneous improvisation of the poetry around energetic rhythmic structures interwoven into the 12-beat cycle, the Mallicks make this piece immersive for the mind and soul. This is followed by a dhamar in the same raga in 14 beats. The Mallicks give a glowing and extraordinary rendition of this composition with a potent combination of diligent vocal ornamentations and laykari. The next raga, Bhairav, is first expanded in the same format as before, only this time, they stick to brevity and let go of the jhalla in the introductory section. The composition in a 10-beat cycle of Sool taal is conditioned with stately delivery of lyrics in buoyant gamaks over a primordial edifice of pure notes and dramatic delivery. Chana’s support is unfaltering and steady. He disarms with dynamism as he blends with the deeply rhythmic nature of the Darbhanga delivery and softens his thekas according to the demand of the vocals. As artistic director of Darbar Sandeep Virdee puts it, the enormity and diversity of Indian classical music is such that it is possible for us to present just the tip of the iceberg in one festival. But the highly evolved and remarkably transcendental Dhrupad is the genre that steals everyone’s heart every year.