How long does it take to learn the pakhawaj?

Regular practice and two hands with different jobs set the pace on the pakhawaj, the two-headed drum of dhrupad. At Foundation, the whole hand works the bass head; fingers and parts of the hand shape the treble head.

Next come the thekas. Each dhrupad tala, a rhythmic cycle such as Chautal with its 12 beats, has a fixed pattern of bols, the spoken stroke syllables. Our courses take you through the levels in order, and each award notes your learning hours. We teach the pakhawaj live and one-to-one online, with workshops and summer camps where enough learners sign up.