​Mridangam is a percussion instrument of ancient origin in South India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Carnatic music ensemble. It is a double-sided drum whose body is usually made using a hollowed piece of jackfruit wood about an inch thick. In ancient Hindu sculpture, painting, and mythology, the mridangam is often depicted as the instrument of choice for a number of deities, and hence it is called a divine instrument.