Raag Kirwani on Tabla Tarang

Tabla tarang is a set of up to 16 small, wooden dayan drums, arranged in a semi-circle and tuned to the specific notes of a raga. Existing since the late 1800s, it was originally used to teach children to sing and later became a popular novelty attraction at dance shows. By the 1980s, percussionist Kamalesh Maitra was blazing a trail as the only artist performing full-length Indian classical music concerts on the tabla tarang, while advocating for its inclusion in the canon of accepted instruments. This beguiling 41-minute rendition of the late-night raga ‘Kirwani’, recorded in 1985, makes a convincing case. Played with the palms of the hand, the drums have a softly rounded resonance, avoiding the sharp clicks and slaps normally associated with tabla. Maitra gently piles up mellifluous ripples and rapid patters in waves, creating a dream-like lullaby. It’s a fine portal into the possibilities of tabla tarang.