Well said..one consideration for us in the lower regions of the earth is price and cost of shipping. Tilka drums fill a need for those who cannot afford the Balaram drum , but who still want to learn the mrdanga and do kirtan. The madhura sound is not perfect in all situations, but is has it's place - though the mrdanga should never be so loud that the chanting cannot be heard and becomes somewhat in the background -in any kirtan situation.

@kirtanplanet so you think Balaam is to loud? Nah it can be played mellow or blasting and you can feel it in your heart, it is the latest incarnation of balashakti and makes people literally sing louder dance higher and there's nothing like it, it's not just some western invention, it's here to stay and goes with everything manifested by srila prabhupada and his devotees, out on harinam it literally announces harinams arrival and roars like nrsimhadeva to all inimical to step aside and be respectful, one Balaam mrdanga has the power of three clay, and lord caitanya had many drums blasting in his kirtans.

@@parasuparasu-ki9gb Well said. I think you make a good case for the Balaram brand of mrdangas. I don't doubt it, they are good. May they continue to resound in sankirtan. What part of the world are you from prabhu?

@@kirtanplanet yes, i am just making a case as upon hearing balaram mridanga i feel in love with it and twentyseven years later? I still think its the greatest sound on earth, im from new zealand.

Thank you very much, I make the Balaram Mridangas. My brother took over from Isan das until he died in 1992 and I have been making them since then. I've made about 4000

Sometimes the black product (usually a mixture of rice/clay/powdered iron) is on the inside of the skin- especially if it is a wooden dholak style drum.

@@kirtanplanet thank you. Now I unerstand why there are little part are in the drum. Release of the inner powder. I think i need to open the drum and repair from the inside.