Great Innovations: Balaram Mrdangas

[Gauracandra 1]

The other day I was thinking about what a great innovation the Balaram Mrdangas are. What is so brilliant about them is that they are a perfect fusion of western technology and thinking with Eastern design. I believe it was Ishan Prabhu who originally developed these fiberglass mrdangas. Has anyone heard from Ishan lately? Anyways I just wanted to note this great innovation.

 

Gauracandra

[valaya 0]

Originally posted by Gauracandra:

The other day I was thinking about what a great innovation the Balaram Mrdangas are. What is so brilliant about them is that they are a perfect fusion of western technology and thinking with Eastern design. I believe it was Ishan Prabhu who originally developed these fiberglass mrdangas. Has anyone heard from Ishan lately? Anyways I just wanted to note this great innovation.

 

Gauracandra

 

I remember one time being in a crowded elevator behind Ishan prabhu. It was dead silent in that kind of nervous elevator-type atmosphere, except for Ishan chanting his japa rapidly non-stop, glancing up at each of us now and then with this strangely furtive wild-eyed look.

 

Just before the doors opened onto the ground floor, after a long ride down with many stops and still no one saying a word except for Ishan and his non-too-soft staccato japa, he suddenly turned towards the packed elevator and, fidgeting about, mumbled apologetically, "I'm sorry, but if I don't keep doing this I'll go crazy!"

 

That was back in the very early seventies, I guess, and the look in his eyes told us he meant it!

 

valaya RR

 

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

For those who don't know what a "Balarama Mridanga" is, it's a fiber glass and rubber version of the Bengali mridanga used in ISKCON temples. It really is a great idea. The sound is identical with the clay mridanga (but louder), and they are nearly indestructable.

 

A few weeks back I went to Sri Sacchidananda Ganapathi's Ashram here in Mysore, and even they have a few "Balarama Mridangas" imported from the Los Angeles ISKCON temple where they are made.

 

[Caitanyachandra 0]

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[This message has been edited by Caitanyachandra (edited 10-23-2001).]

[JRdd 0]

Amazing to think of how widespread the Balaram mrdanga has become.

 

I think the greatest innovation was the Simply Wonderful.

 

Take a cup of powdered milk (sorry Darwin, but this one is most transcendental! and surely must benefit the cow when its product is being offered to the Lord), a cup of powdered sugar (this is so transcendental that one must surely not suffer the ill effects of white sugar when it is offered to Kanea), and a stick of butter. Add things like walnuts or raisins and roll into balls. Don't forget to say your prayers. Distribute prefusely.

[Gauracandra 1]

Valaya,

 

Great story about Ishan.

 

As for the Balaram Mrdanga, I think its a great form of ingenuity. Are their any other instruments that could be modified?

 

I have heard there are electric pumped Harmoniums. This way one hand is untied. Does this produce a nice quality sound? I figure with two hands one could create very nice music.

 

Gauracandra

[valaya 0]

Originally posted by JRdd:

Amazing to think of how widespread the Balaram mrdanga has become.

 

I think the greatest innovation was the Simply Wonderful.

 

Take a cup of powdered milk (sorry Darwin, but this one is most transcendental! and surely must benefit the cow when its product is being offered to the Lord), a cup of powdered sugar (this is so transcendental that one must surely not suffer the ill effects of white sugar when it is offered to Kanea), and a stick of butter. Add things like walnuts or raisins and roll into balls. Don't forget to say your prayers. Distribute prefusely.

I'm never sure whether powdered milk means regular or instant, and I guess whole would be better than skim...?

 

 

[JRdd 0]

Instant milk makes better, lighter ones. (sorry GC--back to the drums and things)

[stonehearted 0]

A further innovation is the mridangas made by Pavamana das in San Diego. He has worked out a way of stringing leather heads on fiberglass shells, so you have durability and the (I believe) superior sound of the leather drum heads. As much as I appreviate the Balarama drums, I still prefer clay khols.

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

Please forgive my ignorance, but does anyone know how/where to purchase the Balaram mrdanga heads and metal plates etc.? I've a mrdangs body that needs them (they've disappear (unmanifested). Thanks! Gauranga!

[Guruvani 0]

http://www.vedicresource.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=VR&Category_Code=INSTRPARTS

 

this link should do the job

 

great store for devotee supplies

[Guest guest]

yes i have found a site with spare balaram mrdanga parts the site is http://krishna.tv/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=MRD-PARTS&Category_Code=B

 

copy and paste on the url haribol!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Haribol,

I was wondering how i could get in touch with Pavamana Prabhu because I broke the head to my mrdanga, and would like to order one from him.

 

Haribol

 

[stonehearted 0]

I don't have an address for Pavamana on this computer. I think it's in the address book on my laptop, which my daughter is using. I'll try to get it for you.

 

[Guest guest]

the sound quality of clay mridangams sound better to me.

has any one tried to make some holes in a balaram mridangam and see how the sound quality changes?

I think it should improve.

clay is porous, so making some homes in balaram mridangama would make it like a clay mridangam.

 

jai sri krishna! -madhav

 

[ratna bhusana 0]

I took over making the Balaram Mridangas in 1992 when my brother, Manu Priya died. He started working with Isan in 1997 and took over making the drums when Isan went back to Canada around 1979.

I have recently been looking into someof the details of how they got started. Isan told me that Srila Prabhupada told him to go to the west and make a drum that wouldn't break. John Matlick was working for Spiritual Sky insence, he told me that Risabdeva who was the manager of Spiritual Sky, asked him to help Isan. John Matlick said that he made some drawings for Isan and helped get drum head sample. Then Isan went to the BBT mail order dept. Ranadhir dasa was in charge of that department and told me he helped Isan to develop the drum, they made the original 'plug' to make a mold of and developed the rubber parts and had metal rings etc custom made. I have made a facebook page for Balaram Mridanga where I am posting photos and information.

Ratna bhusana dasa