Lawrence Mridangam Shop

The Lawrence Mridangam Shop occupies a small, unassuming space near the Vinayagar Kovil temple, recognizable by the stacks of raw jackfruit wood and dried animal hides piled near the entrance. Inside, Lawrence spends his days meticulously crafting the mridangam, a double-sided drum essential to Carnatic music. He learned the trade from his father, and he remains one of the few artisans who still hand-stretches the leather rings to ensure each instrument produces the precise, resonant tone demanded by professional percussionists.