The tabla hammer, also known as the tabla mallet or tabla stick, is a small tool used to strike the tabla drums in Indian classical music. The tabla is a set of two drums, consisting of the larger bayan (bass drum) and the smaller dayan (treble drum). The tabla hammer is primarily used to play the dayan drum, although it can also be used on the bayan drum for certain techniques.To play the tabla, the musician holds the hammer in their dominant hand and strikes the drumhead with the tip of the hammer. Different sounds and tones can be produced by striking different parts of the drumhead and varying the force of the strike. The flat end of the hammer can be used to create a sharper, more percussive sound when struck against the rim of the drum.