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  • Haridas Vhatkar's tabla shop in Mumbai. I ordered a tabla, and this was the big day! width:640;;height:480
  • The drums outside the shop are in an early stage of creation, and they're outside the shop to get some sun, which is the best way to dry the skins. width:640;;height:480
  • When Haridas-ji tunes a tabla, it STAYS tuned...dishoom!! ;) width:360;;height:480
  • Polishing the syahi (black spot). I've tried to get one of those rocks for years, but apparently they're rare, and the drum makers never want to part with one. :( width:360;;height:480
  • tuning... width:360;;height:480
  • more polishing (he was applying tiny bits of paste to the centre of the drum...the final stages) width:360;;height:480
  • and MORE polishing...the drum sounds great...different from the Kolkata sound, but I like, I like! width:360;;height:480
  • Haridas applying the syahi on one of Zakir's drums. width:360;;height:480
  • This part terrifies me...one of the last things is to trim the kinar (the outer edge skin. That is one of Haridas' sons (sorry..i didn't get his name) and that tool is razor sharp. He has a small flat piece of bamboo under the kinar, and he slides both the bamboo and the blade around, trimming the kinar. One slip at this point, and it's game over...I cringe whenever I see this... width:640;;height:480
  • Another of Haridas' sons, Santosh, who is going to medical school. width:360;;height:480
  • tabla repair rubble!<br />That's all...thanks for looking! width:640;;height:480
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