What is the difference between the pakhawaj and the tabla?

The pakhawaj is a single two-headed barrel drum, played lying horizontally with both hands. The tabla's bass drum is usually metal and carries a permanent syahi, so it needs no dough, while the pakhawaj bass takes fresh wheat dough before each performance. The tabla largely replaced the pakhawaj in khyal and lighter forms, and its repertoire and syllables, parans included, draw on the pakhawaj.