So what is the tabla ?

Getting to know the basics of the tabla. We have the tabla and the dagga. I'm going to use the terminology that I'm most accustomed to since childhood. This may not be entirely accurate so please don't quote me anywhere.

The Tabla - It's the right drum. Typically has most of the different sounds, where as the dagga is primarily used to maintain the beat. The black raised section in the middle is called the Syahi or Shaaee - Hindi/Marathi for ink. It's not made of actual ink though. The section just around it is called the Sur - which means Note. The last section is called the Kinar or the boundary. The rest of the equipment is called the gajra, dor and gatthhe. The pillow at the bottom is of course called gaddi. The drum itself is made of wood.

The Dagga - It's the big drum on the left. It's made of steel. The sections aren't really called much other than the Syahi. The sounds on this drum are a little muffled - it's primarily used for maintaining rhythm - the taal.