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{{Short description|Percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu}}
{{Redirect|Tavil}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
[[File:Thavil-DSC 3864.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Thavil]]
A '''''thavil''''' ([[Tamil language|Tamil]]:தவில்) or '''''tavil''''' is a barrel-shaped [[percussion instrument]] from [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is also widely used in other [[South India]]n states ([[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]], [[Telangana]]) as well as in the North and East of [[Sri Lanka]] (in the Tamil majority area called [[Tamil Eelam]]). It is used in temple, [[folk music|folk]] and [[Carnatic music]], often accompanying the ''[[nadaswaram]]''. The ''thavil'' and the ''nadaswaram'' are essential components of traditional festivals and ceremonies in South India.



In folk music contexts, a pair of wider, slimmer sticks are sometimes used. In Tamil [[Filmi]] songs, thavils are mostly used. Notable movies: "[[Thillaanaa Mohanambal]]", "[[Paruthiveeran]]", "[[Karagattakaran]]", "[[Sarvam Thaala Mayam]]".
[[File:Tavil, தவில், തവിൽ.jpg|thumb|Thavil]]

== History ==
Thavil is a traditional musical instrument of the ancient city of [[Thanjavur]] in Tamil Nadu. It is an integral part of the Carnatic music in Thanjavur. It is mostly made in Thanjavur and [[Valayapatti]].

== Physical components ==

The ''thavil'' consists of a cylindrical shell hollowed out of a solid block of [[jackfruit]] wood. Layers of animal skin ([[domestic buffalo|water buffalo]] on the right, goat on the left) are stretched across the two sides of the shell using [[hemp]] hoops attached to the shell. The right face of the instrument has a larger diameter than the left side, and the right drum head is stretched very tightly, while the left drum head is kept loose to allow pitch bending. The larger face is higher in pitch than the smaller face.

The modern Thavil has a corpus that is bordered by a steel ring coated in plastic on which the two skins are fixed by metal straps. Both skins can be separately tuned.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Indian Thavil|url=http://www.indian-instruments.com/drums_and_percussion/thavil.htm|website=indian-instruments.com}}</ref>

== Methods of use and posture ==
[[File:Thavilplayer.jpg|thumb|175px|Velliyambakkam VM Palanivel playing thavil - note that thavil sides are reversed, as the player is left handed]]
The instrument is either played while sitting, or hung by a cloth <!--or leather?-->strap (called ''nadai'') from the shoulder of the player. The right head is played with the right hand, wrist and fingers. The player usually wears thumb caps on all the fingers of the right hand, made of hardened glue from [[maida flour]]. The left head is played with a short, thick stick made from the wood of the [[portia tree]].  It is not uncommon for left-handed players to use the opposite hands, and some nadaswaram groups feature both a right- and a left-handed thavil player.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

==Veteran thavilists==

Some master thavil players:<ref name="Thavil1">{{cite web
 |url         = http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm
 |title       = Official Web Site of Saneetha Nataka Academy - List of Saneetha Nataka Academy Award Winners
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150530204253/http://sangeetnatak.gov.in/sna/awardeeslist.htm
 |archive-date = 2015-05-30
}}</ref> 
*Thirumulaivayil Muthuveer Pillai
*Thirumulaivayil Shanmugavadivel Pillai
* Valangaiman A. Shanmugasundaram Pillai
* Kalaimamani Thirucherai.T.G.Muthukumaraswamy Pillai 
* [[Valayapatti A. R. Subramaniam]]
* [[Haridwaramangalam A. K. Palanivel]]
* Vellore Dr. P.R.M. Venkateshan
* Dakshinamoorthy - Jaffna or Yaazhpaanam - [[Shri Lanka]]
* Needamangalam Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai
* Thirunageshwaram Subramanian Pillai
* Bhusurapalli Adisheshaiah
* Iluppur Panchami
* Kumbakonam Thangavel Pillai
* [[Natchiarkoil]] Raghava Pillai
* Perumpallam P Venkatesan
* Needamangalam Shanmugavadivel
* Valangaiman Shanmugasundaram Pillai
* [[Thiruvalaputhur T A Kaliyamurthy]]
* Tanjore T. R. Govindaraj
* Shanmugam Thavil - [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]
* Thiruppungur T. G. Muthukumarasamy
* Mannaarkudi Thiru M. R. Vasudevan
* Thirumaignanam Narayanasamy Pillai
* Valiyambakkam V. M. Ganapathy
* Gurumurthy Pandithar - [[Adelaide]]

==References==
{{Portal|India|Music}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Thavil}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060329101116/http://www.akp.co.in/ Thavil Maestro Haridwaramangalam Sri. A.K. Palanivel]

{{Indian musical instruments}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Membranophones]]
[[Category:Carnatic music instruments]]
[[Category:Tamil music]]
[[Category:Percussion instruments played with specialised beaters]]
[[Category:Hand drums]]
[[Category:Asian percussion instruments]]