Barrel drum, maddalam, suddha maddalam, four finger caps, inner protection cloth in three parts, outer protection cloth.
The suddha maddalam is played at festivals and rituals in an around the Hindu temples in Kerala. It features in temple ensembles such pancavadyam and maddalam keli. The sound of this drum also announces the start of the Kathakali dance drama performance, where is considered appropriate to accompany female characters because of its warmth of tone. (Male characters in Kathakali dance to the sound of the centa drum.) The maddalam drum is played horizontally at waist level, with the bass valanthala side struck by the left hand. Small caps resembling thimbles are often worn for protection on the four fingers of the right hand that strike the treble ilantala head.
