Palghat Mani Iyer is associated with which musical instrument?

Explanation

Palghat T.S. Mani Iyer (1912-1981) is regarded as one of the greatest mridangam players in the history of Carnatic music. He set new standards of skill and artistry in the instrument, and he is often counted, along with Palani Subramania Pillai, as one of the two greatest masters of the mridangam in the 20th century.

Palghat Mani Iyer was born in Palakkad (Palghat), in present-day Kerala. He started learning the mridangam as a child and began performing at a very young age, accompanying leading musicians while still a boy. He trained under several masters, including Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer. He became famous for his powerful and precise strokes, his deep understanding of rhythm, and his ability to support the singer in a way that enhanced the music rather than overshadowing it. He accompanied the greatest Carnatic musicians of his time, such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar and M.S. Subbulakshmi. He was known for his high standards, and he was selective about whom he accompanied. He received the Padma Bhushan (1971) and the Sangita Kalanidhi from the Madras Music Academy. His students included many well-known mridangam players, such as Palghat R. Raghu.

The mridangam is the main percussion instrument of Carnatic music. It is a double-headed barrel drum, made from a single block of jackfruit wood, with leather heads on both ends. The right head has a black spot, which gives it a clear, ringing tone, and the left head produces a deep bass sound. In a concert, the mridangam player performs a solo section called the "tani avartanam".

Other famous mridangam players include Palani Subramania Pillai, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Karaikudi R. Mani and T.K. Murthy.

Why not the other options?