Bāyā

The tablā, a cylindrical handdrum and bāyā, a kettle drum are performed together as a set of drums used to accompany the classical music and dance traditions of North India. Modern tablā sets usually feature smaller right-hand drums (tablā) made of wood and much larger left-hand drums (bāyā) made of clay or metal. During the nineteenth century the two drums were much closer in size than they are today. The development of the tablā in 18th and early 19th century corresponds with the development of the modern sitār and sarod and the gaining popularity of new genres of music and dance.

Credit: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889