As a beginner, like myself, I would say that unless you know how to tune a clay drum, or know someone who can, then get a Madhura mrdanga. I've had several clay drums and tbh, they are mass produced and often not great quality now (badly tuned, cheap leather, thin gab applied), and they will will very quickly sound nothing like drum you bought. I have to drive two and half hours to find someone to tune it, and it will quickly go again. If you have no one to tune, it's very very difficult to do yourself well and you can often damage it along way. If you can't do that yourself or dont know someone, you can end up paying a lot to tune or repair gab , leather straps etc. Plus they are getting expensive now to import clay ones, basically same as Madhura almost
Sometimes the black product (usually a mixture of rice/clay/powdered iron) is on the inside of the skin- especially if it is a wooden dholak style drum.
@@kirtanplanet thank you. Now I unerstand why there are little part are in the drum. Release of the inner powder. I think i need to open the drum and repair from the inside.
tilak drums are so disappointing, sound is everything? why consider weight? its a musical instrument, balaram mrdanga is far superior in every way. I couldnt even hear the madhuras large head, sounds absolutely boring! the balaram shatters the hearts of people and has come from the greatest harinam movement in history.
Well said..one consideration for us in the lower regions of the earth is price and cost of shipping. Tilka drums fill a need for those who cannot afford the Balaram drum , but who still want to learn the mrdanga and do kirtan. The madhura sound is not perfect in all situations, but is has it's place - though the mrdanga should never be so loud that the chanting cannot be heard and becomes somewhat in the background -in any kirtan situation.
@kirtanplanet so you think Balaam is to loud? Nah it can be played mellow or blasting and you can feel it in your heart, it is the latest incarnation of balashakti and makes people literally sing louder dance higher and there's nothing like it, it's not just some western invention, it's here to stay and goes with everything manifested by srila prabhupada and his devotees, out on harinam it literally announces harinams arrival and roars like nrsimhadeva to all inimical to step aside and be respectful, one Balaam mrdanga has the power of three clay, and lord caitanya had many drums blasting in his kirtans.
@@parasuparasu-ki9gb Well said. I think you make a good case for the Balaram brand of mrdangas. I don't doubt it, they are good. May they continue to resound in sankirtan. What part of the world are you from prabhu?
@@kirtanplanet yes, i am just making a case as upon hearing balaram mridanga i feel in love with it and twentyseven years later? I still think its the greatest sound on earth, im from new zealand.
Excellent review of the drums. Very helpful. Thanks
Superb. Jai shree Krishna
Thank you! This video helped a lot 🙏❤
Hare Krishna prabhuji
As biginer which mridang should I buy?
As a beginner, like myself, I would say that unless you know how to tune a clay drum, or know someone who can, then get a Madhura mrdanga.
I've had several clay drums and tbh, they are mass produced and often not great quality now (badly tuned, cheap leather, thin gab applied), and they will will very quickly sound nothing like drum you bought.
I have to drive two and half hours to find someone to tune it, and it will quickly go again.
If you have no one to tune, it's very very difficult to do yourself well and you can often damage it along way.
If you can't do that yourself or dont know someone, you can end up paying a lot to tune or repair gab , leather straps etc.
Plus they are getting expensive now to import clay ones, basically same as Madhura almost
@@kirankara its better use a use a heating coil and the bayan will become tight
What is the black product used on the drumskin? I have some Mrdanga's in wood whithout the black/dark inner circle.
Sometimes the black product (usually a mixture of rice/clay/powdered iron) is on the inside of the skin- especially if it is a wooden dholak style drum.
@@kirtanplanet thank you. Now I unerstand why there are little part are in the drum. Release of the inner powder. I think i need to open the drum and repair from the inside.
Where do you recommend buying mrdangam from here in Australia Melbourne Prabhu? Vedic sky?
actaully that link is in the description
600 dollar for madhura mridanaga is too much I guess here in India they sell it for 120 dollars
tilak drums are so disappointing, sound is everything? why consider weight? its a musical instrument, balaram mrdanga is far superior in every way. I couldnt even hear the madhuras large head, sounds absolutely boring! the balaram shatters the hearts of people and has come from the greatest harinam movement in history.
Well said..one consideration for us in the lower regions of the earth is price and cost of shipping. Tilka drums fill a need for those who cannot afford the Balaram drum , but who still want to learn the mrdanga and do kirtan. The madhura sound is not perfect in all situations, but is has it's place - though the mrdanga should never be so loud that the chanting cannot be heard and becomes somewhat in the background -in any kirtan situation.
@kirtanplanet so you think Balaam is to loud? Nah it can be played mellow or blasting and you can feel it in your heart, it is the latest incarnation of balashakti and makes people literally sing louder dance higher and there's nothing like it, it's not just some western invention, it's here to stay and goes with everything manifested by srila prabhupada and his devotees, out on harinam it literally announces harinams arrival and roars like nrsimhadeva to all inimical to step aside and be respectful, one Balaam mrdanga has the power of three clay, and lord caitanya had many drums blasting in his kirtans.
@@parasuparasu-ki9gb Well said. I think you make a good case for the Balaram brand of mrdangas. I don't doubt it, they are good. May they continue to resound in sankirtan. What part of the world are you from prabhu?
@@kirtanplanet yes, i am just making a case as upon hearing balaram mridanga i feel in love with it and twentyseven years later? I still think its the greatest sound on earth, im from new zealand.