MRIDANGAM LESSONS

TALAM : ADI    
[These lessons are to be played in three speeds]    

Lesson 1.

THA,
THI,
THOM,
NAM,		(THA)      

Lesson 2.

THA, KITA
THI, KITA
THOM, KITA
NAM, KITA		(THA)     

Lesson 3.

THA,,, KI TA THA KA 
THI,,, KI TA THA KA 
THOM,,, KI TA THA KA 
NAM,,, KI TA THA KA 		(THA)     

Lesson 4.
THA, KITA KITA THAKA 
THI, KITA KITA THAKA 
THOM, KITA KITA THAKA 
NAM, KITA KITA THAKA 		(THA)     

Lesson 5.		[THAKATHARIKITATHAKA = TA+THA+KA+THA+KI+TA+THA+KA] 

THA, KITA KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THI, KITA KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THOM, KITA KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
NAM, KITA KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 		(THA)    

Lesson 6.		[THALANGU = THA+CHAAPPU+THA]
THA, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THI, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THOM, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
NAM, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA		(THA)    

Lesson 7.	{THAKAJONUTHANGITA = NAM+THOM+THOM+KA+[THOM+NAM (played together)]+" ' +THA+KA}
THA, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THAKAJONU THANGITA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
KITATHOM, KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THI, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THAKAJONU THANGITA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
KITATHOM, KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THOM, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THAKAJONU THANGITA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
KITATHOM, KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
NAM, KITA KITA THAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THALAANGU KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
THAKAJONU THANGITA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA
KITATHOM, KITATHAKA THAKATHARI KITATHAKA		(THA)     

Lesson 8.
THA THA THI THI
THOM THOM NAM NAM		(THA)    

Lesson 9.
THA , THA, KITA THAKA 
THI, THI, KITA THAKA 
THOM, THOM, KITA THAKA 
NAM, NAM , KITA THAKA 		(THA)   

  
Lesson 10.
THA, THA, KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THI, THI, KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
THOM, THOM, KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 
NAM, NAM , KITA THAKA 
THAKATHARI KITATHAKA 		(THA)   

Lesson 11.
THA THA THA THA
THI THI THI THI
THOM THOM THOM THOM
NAM NAM NAM NAM		(THA)    

EQUIVALENCE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF MATHRAS :
THA =1
THAA / THAM / THAKA =2
THAKITA / THANGU =3
THAKADIMI / THAKAJONU =4
THADINGINATHOM =5 [KHANDA]
THADEENGINATHOM =6 [THISRA]
THATH DEENGINATHOM =7 [MISRA]
THADEEKKITTATHTHOM =8 [CHATUSRA]
THATH DEEN GINN NATH THOM =9 [SANKEERNA]
………………………………………………

USEFUL TIPS
HOLD THE MRIDANGAM FIRMLY BETWEEN YOUR CALF MUSCLES.
KEEP YOUR ARMS IN LINE WITH YOUR BODY AND NOT BEHIND. 
LET THE THOPPI BE A LITTLE NEARER TO THE BODY THAN THE RIGHT SIDE.
A WELL-TUNED INSTRUMENT PRODUCES THE BEST SOUND.
IF YOU KEEP RAVAI ON THOPPI, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS JUST ENOUGH AND WELL PASTED.
CLOSE ONE SIDE WITH THE HAND WHILE YOU ARE PLAYING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MRIDANGAM. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nadai
1)
Tha din din na
Tha tha din din na
Kitathaka din din na
Thom thakukum thakajonu

Tha din din na
Tha tha din din na
Kitathaka din din na
Thom thakukum thakajonu

Tha din din na
Thom thakukum thakajonu
Tha tha din din na
Thom thakukum thakajonu

Thom thakukum thakajonu Tham; 
Thom thakukum thakajonu Tham; 
Thom thakukum thakajonu                (Tham)

Korvais, Jathis & Thadinginathoms :

[128 mathras]
Thathithakajonudinthathom;
Thithakajonudinthathom;
Thakajonudinthathom;
Jonudinthathom;
Dinthathom;
Thathom ,;

Thathithakajonudinthathom;
Thithakajonudinthathom;
Thakajonudinthathom;
Jonudinthathom;
Dinthathom;
Thathom ; Thathom ,;

Thathithakajonudinthathom;
Thithakajonudinthathom;
Thakajonudinthathom;
Jonudinthathom;
Dinthathom;
Thathom ; Thathom ,; Tha (thom )
***********************

[32 mathras]
Tha, thom ;
Thaka thom ,
Thakita thom,
Thathikitathom    Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom   
**********************

[32 mathras,  64 mathras &  96 mathras]
Tha thom ,
Thaka thom ,
Thakita thom,
Thathikitathom,    Thathikitathom,   Thathikitathom  

Tha thom ,  Tha thom ,
Thaka thom , Thaka thom ,
Thakita thom,  Thakita thom ,
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  tham   
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  tham 
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom

Tha thom ,  Tha thom ,  Tha thom,
Thaka thom , Thaka thom ,  Thaka thom ,
Thakita thom,  Thakita thom ,  Thakita thom ,
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  thangu    
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  thangu    
Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom  Thathikitathom 
**********************

[64 mathras]
Tha thi Thakajonu Thangu 
    Thadinginathom
ThiThakajonu Thangu 
    Thadinginathom
Thakajonu Thangu 
Thadinginathom Thangu
Tha Thadinginathom Thangu
ThaThi Thadinginathom

                  (Tham)