Madal – Wooden Musical Instrument

A “Madal” is a traditional Nepali folk musical instrument, which is played as a drum in lots of Nepali music. This instrument is mainly used for rhythm-keeping in Nepalese folk music. Though madal is used as drum, it is played with hand. The madal consists of a cylindrical body with a side bulge at its center and heads at the both ends, one head larger than other. Madal is like a backbone of Nepali folk music.

The Madal is made up of wooden log, carved to make hollow inside. The heads of the madal is made with the skin of goat and a black paste which is made up of flour, iron fillings, and egg burned in the circular area in the center of each head. The larger head and the smaller head in the madal represents male and female respectively. Our madal comes in black color.