How to play the Thavil - introduction

I had an opportunity to have some thavil lessons recently, therefore I wrote it down to share the information with someone who maybe seeking for information about thavil. Although self education should be strictly avoided as with any other Indian classical instruments, I am putting this article as a memorandum for there seems to be no English nor Japanese information about how to play the thavil on the web at all.

Basic tones of thavil are:
Ta (Tha): Hit with 4 fingers. Fingers will hit slightly off the center, near to yourself, and palm will rest on the rim.
Di: Hit surface with palm and 4 fingers. Palm will rest around the center of the head, and fingers will hit near the opposite side of the circumference. After hitting, slide your hand toward youself while lifting it from the surface. Fingers will bounce and generate a flam-like sound (may can also be said sound similar to a buzz roll on a snare drum) on hitting.
This is rather difficult to explain. Above will make a slight heel-and-toe motion resembling to the congas'. Finger muscles (or the metacarpophalangeal joint) must relax enough to be able to bounce but must be kept straight at the same time to produce a fast buzz sound.
Tom (Thom): Simply Ta + open bass sound. Open bass will be explained below.
Nam: Hit the edge of the head by the forefinger.
Ki: Closed bass sound. Hit the very center of the head with the stick and give pressure instantaneously to produce a non-resonating sound.
Ku (Ka): Open bass sound. Open bass sound will be produced by hitting slightly off the center of the head with a stick to produce a resonating sound.

Ta-KiTa KiTaTaKa
Di-KiTa KiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTa KiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTa KiTaTaKa

The last "Ka" in each line are equivalent to "Ku". To play "TaTa" hit with 3 fingers(middle, ring and little finger) first, then with forefinger.

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaJoNuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaJoNuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaJoNuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaJoNuKiTaTaKa

"JoNu" is: forefinger plus open bass, then 3 fingers.

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKuKuKuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKuKuKuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKuKuKuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKuKuKuKiTaTaKa

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
"TiRuTiRu" is: 3 fingers, forefinger,3 fingers, forefinger. Rotate your wrist, hit near the center. The "Ru" should sound like a flam or a buzz likewise "Di" explained above.

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
"TeReKeTe" is: 3 fingers, forefinger, closed bass, 4 fingers. Corresponds to the famous tabla bol "TiRKiT".

Replace the phrases inside the parentheses to below so to produce variations.
TaKaJoNu
TiRuTiRu
TaKuKuKu
TeReKete
JoNuJoNu

Longer phrases:
Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKu JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKu
JoNuJoNuJoNuJoNu JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
JoNuJoNuJoNuJoNu JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
JoNuJoNuJoNuJoNu JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa
JoNuJoNuJoNuJoNu JoNuJoNuKiTaTaKa

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuTiRuTiRu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuTiRuTiRu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuTiRuTiRu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuTiRuTiRu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
(TeReKeTe)(TeReKeTe) (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
(TeReKeTe)(TeReKeTe) (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
(TeReKeTe)(TeReKeTe) (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa
(TeReKeTe)(TeReKeTe) (TeReKeTe)KiTaTaKa

The same replacing procedure also applies here. Phrases should be replaced to:
TaKaJoNu
TiRuTiRu
TaKuKuKu
TeReKete
JoNuJoNu

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuJoNuJoNu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuJoNuJoNu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuJoNuJoNu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKa TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
TiRuTiRuJoNuJoNu TiRuTiRuKiTaTaKa
"TiRuTiRu" and "JoNuJoNu" combinations. Double strokes will appear when switching between "TiRuTiRu" and "JoNuJoNu".

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKu TaKaTaReKiTaTaKa
Di-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaTaReKiTaTaKa
Tom-KiTaKiTaTaKa TaKaTaReKiTaTaKa
Nam-KiTaKiTaTaKu TaKaTaReKiTaTaKa
"TaKaTaReKiTaTaKa"
is an 8 beat phrase. "TaRe" is equivalent to "TaTa".

Ta---TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Ta-Ta-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Ta-TaKaJoNuTa-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNu
Ta-Ta-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Di---TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Di-Di-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Di-TaKaJoNuDi-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNu
Di-Di-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Tom---TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Tom-Tom-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Tom-TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNu
Tom-Tom-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Nam---TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Nam-Nam-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa
Nam-TaKaJoNuNam-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNu
Nam-Nam-TaKaJoNuTaKaJoNuKiTeTaKa

[Ta]---(TiRuTiRu)(TiRuTiRu)KiTeTaKa
[Ta]-[Ta]-(TiRuTiRu)(TiRuTiRu)KiTeTaKa
[Ta]-(TiRuTiRu)[Ta]-(TiRuTiRu)(TiRuTiRu)
[Ta]-[Ta]-(TiRuTiRu)(TiRuTiRu)KiTeTaKa

Change the notes in the brackets in the order of "Ta, Di, Tom, Nam" each time you repeat. Then replace the phrases inside the parentheses to below and repeat in "Ta, Di, Tom, Nam" order.
TaKaJoNu
TiRuTiRu
TaKuKuKu
TeReKete
JoNuJoNu

Arudi (Do not know the exact pronunciation or spelling. May can be "arudhi") is a kind of cadenza.
Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKu TaKaTiReKiTeTaKu
DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKu
DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKu
DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKu
Tom
"DiKiTaKu"
is actually played "Di Ki Nam Ku".

1=Ku
2=TaKu
3=KiTaKu
4=DiKiTaKu
5=TaDiKiTaKu
6=KuTaDiKiTaKu
7=TaKuTaDiKiTaKu

Above are some variations of "DiKiTaKu" each having different numbers of beats. You can conclude the arudi by a phrase combining these variations.

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKu TaKaTiReKiTeTaKu
DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKu
DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKu
KiTaKuTom-DiKiTaKuTom-TaDiKiTaKu
Tom

The 4th line can be divided into 3+4+5, which are KiTaKu=3, DiKiTaKu=4 and TaDiKiTaKu=5.
You can see the number of beats in each variation are increasing towards the concluding "Tom".

Ta-KiTaKiTaTaKu TaKaJoNuKiTeTaKu
TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNu
TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNu
TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNuTom-TaKaJoNu
TaKaJoNuTom-TaJoNuTom-JoNuTom-Ta
Tom

Above is a variation of "TaKaJoNu".Numbers of beats are TaKaJoNu=4, TaJoNu=3, JoNu=2, Ta=1. In contrast to the example with "DiKiTaKu", the numbers of beats decrease towards the conclusion.

Another "DiKiTaKu" variation used in occasions playing with the mridangam.
5=TaDiKiTaKa
6=TaDi-KiTaKa
7=Ta-Di-KiTaKa
8=TaDi-Ki-Ta-Ka
9=Ta-Di-Ki-Ta-Ka

Play it loud!