Watch video: A. Sangeetha and A. Srimathi play the mridangam at the Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam in Tamil Nadu's Kanchipuram district

The mridangam is a barrel-shaped, double-headed drum with one head larger than the other, used in Carnatic (south Indian) music.

Not often do you see women playing the mridangam , but at Kattaikkuttu Gurukulam in rural Tamil Nadu, two 14-year-old girls play it with ease and elan. A. Sangeetha takes the lead and A. Srimathi follows with equal skill.

The Gurukulam is a residential school in Punjarasantangal village of Kanchipuram district. Here, students are trained in Kattaikkuttu, a rural theatre form practiced in the state, along with a regular school education up to Class 12. In addition to Kattaikkuttu singing, acting and make-up, all the students learn to play an instrument.

Namita Waikar

ନମିତା ୱାଇକର ହେଉଛନ୍ତି ଜଣେ ଲେଖିକା, ଅନୁବାଦିକା ଏବଂ ପିପୁଲ୍ସ ଆର୍କାଇଭ ଅଫ୍‌ ରୁରାଲ ଇଣ୍ଡିଆର ପରିଚାଳନା ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶକ। ତାଙ୍କ ରଚିତ ଉପନ୍ୟାସ ‘ଦ ଲଙ୍ଗ ମାର୍ଚ୍ଚ’ ୨୦୧୮ରେ ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଇଥିଲା।

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