History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c37.s1.t5.5

v1.c37.s1.t5.5

Fig.4. Ancient leathercraft for boat and container a) Leather Board b) Bottles moulded from camel hide made by natives of Bannu, N.W. Frontier Province of India The Vedas as well as the epics Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata refer to various kinds of drums. The Saṃhitās and the Brāhmaṇas refer to the Bhumi Duṇḍubi (the big earthern drum). The Deva Duṇḍubi (celestial drum) is mentioned in the Rāmāyaṇa. Of the large military drum played with a stick, there were the Ranadhaka and the Jaradhaka with which the heroes of Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata are said to have inspired their legions with military ardour in the battle fields. The Pañcamukha vadyam itself is a royal sacred drum and is played in the Thyagaraja Sannidhi in the temple at Tiruvarur.