Sangeet Natak Akademi

Museum of PMuseum of PMuseum of PMuseum of PMuseum of Performing Artserforming Artserforming Artserforming Artserforming ArtsGallery of Musical Instruments

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC, DANCE AND DRAMARABINDRA BHAVAN, FEROZ SHAH ROAD, NEW DELHI 110 001

Tel: 2338 7246, 2338 7248, 2338 2495Fax: 91-11-2338 2659. Gram: NATAKADEMI

E-mail: mail@sangeetnatak.gov.inWebsite: http://www.sangeetnatak.gov.in

Emperor Samudragupta (circa 4th century). Depicted in one of hisseals playing a string instrument. His title carved on it characterizes

him as “a person who crossed the ocean of music”.

A Glimpse of the Collection

Over the past fifty-odd years, Sangeet Natak Akademi hasacquired a large number of musical instruments, masks,puppets, headgears and other artefacts of archival interest.Its gallery of musical instruments was inaugurated by violinistYehudi Menuhin in 1964. A major exhibition of about fourhundred instruments was mounted in 1968. Since that time,a number of exhibitions of musical instruments, masks andpuppets from the collection have been held in India andother countries, including Italy (Rome), Russia (Moscow),Greece (Athens), Egypt (Alexandria), Spain, South Korea,etc. With about two thousand musical instruments, masks,puppets and headgears, Sangeet Natak Akademi’scollection is perhaps the largest of its kind in India.

The permanent galleries of musical instruments and masksdisplay a wide range of artefacts from different regions ofthe country, representing varied traditions of performingarts. Though not exhaustive, the instruments on displayrepresent the four-fold classification followed in India sinceancient times, namely, tata vadya (chordophones), sushiravadya (aerophones), ghana vadya (idiophones), andavanaddha vadya (membranophones). The two newgalleries of masks, displaying about a hundred objects are arecent addition to the existing facilities.

In its effort to preserve and promote the art of instrument-making, the Akademi has honoured eminent instruments-makers with its Awards in recent years. Training programmesin instrument-making under master craftsmen have alsobeen undertaken in Rajasthan, and in Kolkata, toencourage young artisans to continue to work in theirhereditary occupations.

We hope our refurbished galleries and their exhibits will helpin disseminating information about the development ofmusic and other traditions of performing arts of India andgenerate fresh interest in these arts.

SecretarySangeet Natak Akademi

New Delhi

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ALGOJA: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A set of two equal sizedbamboo, beaked flutes. Fivefinger holes and a fipple holeon each flute. Both the flutesare blown simultaneously bythe player. Used by ‘Meo’community of Alwar, Rajasthanas an accompaniment to theirfolk and tribal songs.

APANG::::: ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

A wooden shaft, bolted with ahollow metal cylindricalresonator at one end. Theresonator is open on top andcovered with skin at thebottom. Only one steel string.Held in one hand. Plucked withindex finger. Used by villagebards and mendicants.

BA-BANSI::::: AerophoneWEST BENGAL

An about two feet longbamboo tube, with naturalnode on one side. Blowinghole near the closed end, andsix finger holes. Heldhorizontally. Used in Nak-cheng-renie dance.

BAGHRA::::: ChordophoneORISSA

A round earthen pitchercovered with parchment. A gutstring is passed through skin.Painted with traditional motifs.Used as an accompaniment totribal songs.

BAGLIU::::: ChordophoneGUJARAT

A bamboo shaft with a notch atone end, is bolted with ahollow wooden cylindrical

resonator with a skin coveredbase. A single steel stringplucked rhythmically by indexfinger or wooden plectrum.Used by mendicants for vocalaccompaniment.

BAGLIU: ChordophoneGUJARAT

A monochord droneinstrument. A bamboo shaftbolted with a hollow metalresonator, covered with skin atlower end. A single steel stringtied to a wooden peg stretchedand attached through the skin.Plucked rhythmically with barefinger or plectrum. Used byvillage bards of Gujarat.

BAKAK DING DONG:::::ChordophoneWEST BENGAL

A bamboo tube with naturallyclosed ends. Thin bambooskins are sliced off keepingboth the ends intact. Twobamboo bridges are fittedunder the strings to create thetension on the strings and areused for pitch adjustments. Athin bamboo square plateconnects both the strings justabove the sound hole. Playedby sticks. Used in ‘Nak-Chengrenie’ dance of West Bengal.

BAMPATHYUT::::: AerophoneSIKKIM

A bird shaped bamboo whistle,upper end open, and the lowerend is closed by natural node.While playing, held in hand,the open end placed on thelower lip and blown.

Algoja, Rajasthan

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BANAM::::: ChordophoneBIHAR

A monochord instrument ofbowed variety of Tribal origin.String made of gut. Used by theSanthal tribe foraccompaniment to songs.There are many varieties ofBanam.

BANKIA::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A bronze trumpet made in twoparts. ‘Bugle’ like tube and asaucer shaped bell with anintegrated mouth piece. Usedin processions, religious andsocial ceremonies in Rajasthanand neighbouring regions.

BANS::::: AerophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A normal flute used by tribals,made of bamboo. Three fingerand one blowing hole - heldtransversely by both hands.Decorated with colourfulthread hangings. Produces adeep bass sound.

BANSURI::::: AerophoneBIHAR

A bamboo tube with beakshaped blowing hole. Six fingerholes and a fipple. Used in folkmusic and dances. Used byshepherd and cowherdcommunities of Bihar.

BANSURI::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

Long wooden cylindrical tubewith a break. The other end isopen. There is a fipple madejust after beak. Six finger holesat the other end in two sets,three each in one set. The flute

is played vertically down fromone end.

BARGU::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A bronze trumpet made in twoparts. ‘S’ shaped tube with acup shaped bell and anintegrated mouthpiece. Usedby ‘Sargara’ community ofRajasthan.

BHAJAN TAMBURA:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A drone instrument, made ofJack wood. Hemisphericalresonator, covered withwooden plank, long andnarrow shaft ending in a pegbox, two bridges and four steelstrings. Decorated withcelluloid strips. Strings areplucked and strummed by righthand fingers, used indevotional and traditionalmusical forms.

BHAJAN CHAKKALU:::::IdiophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A pair of wooden clappers,with square ends and openslits, in which thin brass platesare attached. Clapped togetherby one hand. Used for rhythmicaccompaniment withdevotional songs.

BHENR::::: AerophoneBIHAR

Cylindrical trumpet made ofcopper. Used by ‘Oraon’ tribesof Bihar.

Bankia, Rajasthan

Bhajana Chakklu, Andhra Pradesh

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BHUANJ::::: IdiophoneORISSA

A long, oval shaped gourd,loosely tied to the bamboo. Abent branch of tree is tied tothe one end of the bamboo.One end of a thick cotton cordtied to the branch and otherend is tied to the peg, insertedin the bamboo on the otherend. A tribal instrumentprobably used in the narrativeforms.

BHUNGAL::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A long straight trumpet ofbronze, made in two parts.Bowl shaped opening and anintegrated mouthpiece. Used inreligious and socialprocessions on occasions ofweddings and festivals.

BIDI::::: MembranophoneKARNATAKA

A small deep clay bowl withskin covered face, tied withleather straps with the help of ahoop and holes. Slung fromthe neck, played with two thinsticks. Used in processions andreligious ceremonies.

BINNOR::::: AerophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Horn shaped trumpet made ofbronze, has an integratedmouth piece with blowing hole.Used in religious ceremonies,processions and templeworship.

BLINGTHOP::::: IdiophoneSIKKIM

An elongated, oval shaped, flatplate of soft wood and a thinbamboo tube. Both are tied to

an iron loop, also used to holdthe instrument, by left hand.While playing bamboo stick isstruck rhythmically on the plate.Used in group dances ofSikkim.

BOM::::: MembranophoneMEGHALAYA

A single headed large kettledrum, chiselled out of softwood. Wide mouth coveredwith thick hide tied with thehelp of leather straps. Playedby two padded sticks. Usuallyused for making publicannouncements called “PyrtaShnong” and also used indancing festivals of Meghalaya.

BORTAL::::: IdiophoneASSAM

A pair of large size Cymbals,made of refined bronze metal.A huge ball shaped depressionat the centre. Both the units aregripped separately andclapped. Used in various folktraditional forms of Assam.

BUDABUKKALU:::::MembranophoneANDHRA PRADESH

Skin covered hour glassshaped wooden shell of smallsize. Braced with cotton cordthrough wire hoops. Knottedcord tied at the waist. Used bymendicants, snake charmers,gypsies.

BUDUBUDUKAI:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A small skin covered hourglass shaped instrument madeof brass. Two knotted stringsstrike the skin heads when

Bhungal, Rajasthan

Bortal, Assam

Bidi, Karnataka

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shaken vigorously. Used by‘Kudu Kuduppandi’ — awandering tribe of South India.

BURRAKATHA DAKKI:::::MembranophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A pitcher shaped brass vesselhaving short neck and roundbelly. The wider end coveredwith skin with the help ofcotton cord through hoops andan iron ring. Suspended fromneck, played by hands. Used by‘Burrakatha’ balladeers.

BURRAKATHATAMBURA: ChordophoneANDHRA PRADESH

Rounded belly, long neck,curved peg holder, all made ofwood. Four strings - three ofsteel and one of brass. Mainand secondary bridges.Decorated with inlay work.Struck with inward and outwardmovement of fingers. Used intraditional form - ‘Burrakatha’along with a traditional drumcalled ‘Burrakatha Dakki’.

CHAKARA::::: ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

Skin covered resonator ofcoconut shell, lathe finishedtubular body, three main stringsmade of horse hair, threesympathetic strings made ofsteel. Played with bow. Used inFolk and traditional music ofJammu and Kashmir.

CHAMPAKADHI DANDA:::::IdiophoneORISSA

A full length thin bamboo tube.Tassels of dried seeds tiedaround the body. When shaken

produces vigorous rattlingsound. Used by tribalcommunity of Orissa in groupperformances.

CHAMPAKADI DANDA:::::IdiophoneORISSA

A rattle used as a part ofrhythmic accompaniment with aform of folk dancing called‘Jadur Nautch’.

CHANDRA PIRAI:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A crescent shaped iron rim isattached to a bent iron strip bya small iron rod. One facecovered with skin. Bent part istied on the forehead andplayed with two sticks, alongwith its pair called ‘Surya Pirai’.Used in ‘Mariamman’ templesof village deities of SouthIndia.

CHANG::::: MembranophoneGUJARAT

Four pieces of bent woodenplanks are joined and rivetedfor making a round woodenframe. One side covered withparchment. Beaten with twothin sticks. Associated with‘Holi’ Festival and used alsofor rhythmic accompanimentwith community singing anddancing.

CHANG::::: MembranophoneRAJASTHAN

A large drum with a circularwooden frame covered withparchment on one side.Parchment is fixed on the framewith iron nails. Played by handsand occasionally by an

Champakadi Danda, Orissa

Burrakatha Dakki, Andhra Pradesh

Burrakatha Tambura, AndhraPradesh

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additional stick hold betweenthe fingers. This instrument isassociated with the Holifestival and is also used forrhythmic accompaniment withcommunity singing and dancingin Rajasthan.

CHANGU::::: MembranophoneORISSA

An oval shaped frameconstructed by joining foursemi bent, wooden pieces.Covered by skin on one side.While playing it is suspendedfrom the shoulder and playedwith two sticks. Used in folkand traditional music among‘Jaungs’ of Jaipur district ofOrissa.

CHATKULA::::: IdiophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A pair of wooden clappers,with up-raised handles andsockets for inserting fingers.Jingle bells tied at both theends. Played by one hand, andclapped face to face. Used indevotional and traditionalmusic.

CHATKULA::::: IdiophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Oval shaped small decoratedbrass clappers. Little outwardbulge at centre with flat rim.Metal finger loops at centre. Asmall bunch of jingle bellsattached to the rim and loops.Fingers are inserted throughrings and both the faces arestruck at each other. Used bytribals of Bastar region ofMadhya Pradesh.

CHEMPRENG:::::ChordophoneTRIPURA

Hollowed out of a single blockof wood. A kind of fibrous leafsheath of betel nut plant isfixed over the long cylindricalbut flat front resonator.Contains three strings — oneof cotton and two of steel,played by striking with aplectrum. Used by the ‘Tripuri’tribes of Tripura foraccompaniment with theirgroup songs and dances.

CHENCHUKHARRA:::::AerophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A hollow bamboo tube. Upperend blocked with node, lowerend open. Single beating strawreed with six finger holes.Blown through the nozzle andused by ‘Chenchu’ tribes ofAndhra Pradesh.

CHENDA::::: MembranophoneKERALA

A hollow cylindrical drummade of wood. Both facescovered with thick parchmentsand tied by thick movableleather loops. Slung from thewaist, struck by two curvedwooden sticks. An essentialaccompaniment for theKathakali dance of Kerala, alsoused during temple rituals etc.

CHENDE::::: MembranophoneKARNATAKA

A wooden cylindrical drum withboth the faces covered withskin. Tied with the help of ironhoops. Suspended from theneck and played with sticks.Used in ‘Yakshagana’.

Chempreng, Tripura

Chenda, Kerala

Chang, Rajasthan

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CHIKARA::::: ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

Arched resonator covered withskin, finger board and peg boxmade from a single block ofwood. Three steel strings. Abird motif on top of the pegbox. Played with a bow. Usedby the ‘Meo’ community ofAlwar district of Rajasthan forvocal accompaniment.

CHIKARA: ChordophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A bowed instrument of woodwith skin covered resonator.Stem and peg box arehollowed out at the reverse;Three main twisted steelstrings, played with a bow.Used by ‘Pradhan’ communityfor vocal accompaniment tosongs and dance sequences.

CHIKARA: ChordophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A bowed instrument with apear shaped parchedresonator. Two main and sevensympathetic metal strings. Usedby the tribals of MadhyaPradesh and neighbouringregions.

CHIMTA::::: IdiophonePUNJAB

A long iron tong. Twelve setsof metal plates looselyattached to each blade. An ironring fixed at the bend. Held inboth hands, shakenrhythmically to produceJingling sound. Used in folk,traditional and devotionalmusic in North India.Particularly in Punjab, UttarPradesh and Haryana.

CHITTIKA:::::IdiophoneKARNATAKA

A pair of round woodenclappers, with handle played bystriking each other. Used bymendicants and devotionalsingers.

CHITTIKATALA:::::IdiophoneKARNATAKA

A pair of wooden clappers withclashing surface. Jingle bellsattached on outer ends.Clapped by one handrhythmically. Used bydevotional singers.Occasionally used in folkmusic.

CHONAKA:::::ChordophoneMAHARASHTRA

A wooden cylindricalresonator, covered with skin onone side. A nylon string passesthrough the skin. The string ispulled to create requiredtension and plucked with aplectrum held in right hand.Mainly used for rhythmicaccompaniment, also providesrudimentary melodic support.

DAGAR:::::MembranophoneASSAM

Sliced neck of an earthenpitcher, rim covered on oneside with tortoise vellum.Loaded with black paste at thecentre. Used for rhythmicaccompaniment with Bihusongs. Popular in Kamrup andMangaldoi areas of Assam.

Chikara, Madhya Pradesh

Chittikatala, Karnataka

Chittika, Karnataka

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DAHARA::::: IdiophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A long iron rod, in which anumber of iron rings areinserted. Shaken rhythmically.Used in Satirical songs i.e.‘Laddi Shah’. The instrumentalso known as ‘Laddi Shah’.

DAKKI:::::MembranophoneKARNATAKA

Hour glass shaped drum, skinheads on both sides with thehelp of bamboo hoops. Heldby its middle part, one facestruck by stick. Used bymendicants and folk singers.Also on traditional andceremonial occasions.

DAMA:::::MembranophoneMEGHALAYA

A cylindrical bifacial drum,made of soft wood. Both facescovered with skin, laced by redstraps. Coloured with goldenand red paints. Suspendedfrom the neck horizontally andplayed by both hands. Used bytribes of hilly areas ofMeghalaya.

DAMA:::::MembranophoneTRIPURA

A large cylindrical drum ofwood, tapering on right side.Both the faces are covered withskin stretched and fixed bymeans of leather braces. Hungaround the neck, and playedwith both the hands. Used bytribals of Tripura.

DAMARAM:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A pair of equal sized conicaldrums, made of riveted ironsheets. Covered with skin.Beaten by two curved sticks.Used in temple processionsetc. in Tamilnadu.

DAMARU:::::MembranophoneLADDAKH

A small hour glass shapedwooden drum with both thefaces covered with skin. Acoloured silk cloth tied aroundthe drum waist. Also attachedare two knotted cords to strikethe heads. Used by Lamas inreligious ceremonies.

DAMARU:::::MembranophoneLADDAKH

An hour-glass shaped drummade of human skull with skincovered faces. A colouredcloth, silk strips tied around thedrum waist. Also attached aretwo knotted cords to strike theheads. Used by the Lamas inritualistic dance.

DAMROO:::::MembranophoneNORTH INDIA

An hour-glass shaped hollowbrass shell covered with skinand tied with lacing cottoncords. Two cotton knotsattached to strike the headsalternately when manipulated.Used by mendicants, snakecharmers, gypsies and jugglersin their daily professionalperformances in local fairs invillages.Damaru, Laddakh

Chimta, Punjab

Damaru, Laddakh

Dama, Meghalaya

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DAMROO::::: MembranophoneTAMILNADU

An hour glass shaped bodymade of brass. Faces coveredwith hide fastened by cottoncords. A knotted cotton cordattached on opposite ends onthe bracing cord. Held by onehand, player makes the knotsto strike drum heads. Used by‘Kudukuduppai Andi’ ofTamilnadu.

DAMRU::::: MembranophoneBIHAR

An hour glass shaped shell ofwood with hooped skin coverand knotted cotton cord. Heldby the middle and shakenvigorously. Used by mendicantssnake charmers, gypsies andjugglers.

DAMRU::::: MembranophoneGUJARAT

A wooden hour glass shapedshell with skin-covered heads,braced with cord throughbamboo hoops. Knotted endsstrike the heads when shaken.Used by mendicants.

DANDA::::: IdiophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A pair of wooden sticks ofequal length with jingle bellson one end. Is an importantinstrument is ‘Saila’ Dance ofthe ‘Gond Tribes’ of MadhyaPradesh.

DANDIA::::: IdiophoneGUJARAT

Lathe finished, lacquer paintedcolourful wooden pair ofsticks. Held in hands and strucktogether with the rhythm of theRas dance of Gujarat.

DAS-KATHI::::: IdiophoneORISSA

A pair of hard wood piecesheld in right hand and clashedtogether in a skilled manner.Used in a folk form of Orissaknow as ‘Das Kathia’.

DAVANDI::::: MembranophoneTAMILNADU

Hour glass shaped small drumof brass. Hooped parchment isstretched over both the faces.Held in left hand and is struckby a thin wooden stick by righthand. Used in religious,auspicious occasions andtemple services.

DEVALAI SANGU:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

A conch shell with funnelshaped mouth piece of brass,fitted on the blowing end. Anelaborate decorative piece ofbrass attached on the otherend by means of wax. Used in‘Panchavadya’ ensemble. Alsoused in religious, auspiciousoccasions in temples.

DENDUNG::::: ChordophoneASSAM

The epidermis of a number ofbamboo reeds are sliced andlifted off from the body.Keeping both the extreme endsintact. Reeds are tied withcotton cord. Played with thinbamboo sticks. Used forrhythmic accompaniment.

DHAK: MembranophoneWEST BENGAL

A bifacial huge drum made ofwood. Two faces covered withcow skin. While playing slung

Devalai Sangu, Tamilnadu

Davandi, Tamilnadu

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from one shoulder in tiltedposition. Only one face beatenwith two curved sticks. Used infestivities specially on DurgaPuja. Also called ‘Jai Dhak’.

DHAMBARU:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Hour-glass-shapedmembranophone with twoskin-heads laced to thewooden shell by cotton rope.Two strings with knots on theends are tied in the middlepart. With rapid successivemovement of the hand knotsstrike alternately on the heads.Used by mendicants, snakecharmers etc. for theirprofessional performances.

DHANA KOILA::::: IdiophoneORISSA

This instrument consists of fourseparate parts, a round earthenpot painted with folk motifs, awinnowing tray, a bow and awooden stick with jingle bellsfixed at both ends. It is acomposite instrument, able toproduce simple drone andrhythmic rattling effects. Thewider mouth of pot is coveredwith tray in inverted position.One end of bow is firmlyattached on the tray, whereasother end is pressed under theright arm or leg of the player.String is plucked by right arm.Occasionally the rod is rubbedon the teeth on the arch of thebow. The pot acts as aresonator. Accompaniestraditional narrative forms inGanjam district of Orissa.

DHANI SARANGI:ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

A bowed instrument scoopedout of a single piece of wood.Skin covered trapezoid belly,rectangular finger board and asquare peg box. Four main gutstrings are tied to round bigpegs whereas seventeensympathetic steel strings tied toconical pegs on left wall of themain body. Played with a horsehair bow. Used by ‘Jogi’community of Rajasthan.

DHOL::::: MembranophoneASSAM

A barrel shaped drumhollowed out of single piece ofwood. Right head is bigger andhas higher pitch than left one.Both the faces are covered withThin leather and tied with thehelp of ‘Gajara’ like Tabla andinterlaced to the shell and thehoop at the other end by thinand dense leather strapping. Itis slung horizontally from theneck. Played by stick and righthand fingers. Used intraditional and folk forms ofAssam particularly in ‘Bihu’festival. Also called a ‘BihuDhol’.

DHOL::::: MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A barrel shaped drum of brass.Skin stretched on both faces bymeans of a cotton cord tiedthrough the hoops on bothsides. Painted cotton loopsinserted in the cords. Playedwith stick and hand. Used inHimachali folk and traditionalmusic and dance sequences.

Dhani Sarangi, Rajasthan

Dhana Koila, Orissa

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Dilruba, North India

DHOL:::::MembranophoneKERALA

A frame drum. Used foraccompanying songs duringfestivals also used whilemaking important publicannouncements.

DHOL:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Barrel shaped hollowedwooden body with skincovered faces. Left face hasthick raw hide whereas rightface has a thin skin for higherpitch. Slung from the neck,beaten with hand and stick.Used in folk dances andfestivities.

DHOL:::::MembranophoneWEST BENGAL

A barrel shaped bifacial drummade of wood. Both sidescovered with parchment andlaced by leather straps, throughleather hoops at both ends.Right face is smaller than leftface. Struck by two sticks ofdifferent shapes for producingvarious tonal and rhythmicpatterns. A printed cotton clothis wrapped around the body.Used in folk music and danceof West Bengal.

DHUDKI::::: ChordophoneORISSA

A barrel shaped woodenresonator with skin coveredface. One side kept open. Agut string is passed throughskin and fixed under theparchment. While playing,resonator is pressed under left

arm and the string is pulledwith the same hand fingers.Stretched string is plucked witha plectrum held in right hand.Used for rudimentary melodicand rhythmic support to thesinger.

DHUMSA:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Vessel shaped skin coveredhemispherical bowl made ofriveted iron sheets. ‘X’ patternbracing. Placed on the groundor hung around the neck,played with two sticks. Used in‘Seraikella Chhau’ danceperformance for rhythmicaccompaniment.

DHUMSA:::::MembranophoneWEST BENGAL

Huge cup shaped hollowedwooden body, covered withmetal sheets. Drum facecovered with thick hide and tiedwith leather bracing. Playedwith two sticks and used in‘Purulia Chhau’ dance of WestBengal.

DILRUBA: ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A fretted bowed instrumentwith a parched resonator and aflat finger board. Four mainmetal strings, twentysympathetic strings andnineteen elliptical frets. Playedwith a horse hair bow. Used asa solo as well as anaccompanying instrument inNorthern Classical music. Alsopopularly used as anaccompanying instrument toGurubani.

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DO-BANDI-BANSI:::::AerophoneORISSA

A long bamboo tube. Twoflutes are made on either sideof the natural node, which isknocked-out and made blowinghole. Two fipple holes on bothsides which have wax stopping.Movable palm stopper. Fivefinger holes on each flute. Heldtransversely and blown throughthe central blowing hole. Usedby cowherd and folk musicians.

DOGALA:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

A pair of two hemisphericalkettle drums of baked clay,covered with skin. Left one isbigger than right one. Playedtogether either in sitting orstanding position. Beaten withtwo wooden sticks. Used onsocial, religious andauspicious occasions.

DOLU:::::MembranophoneKARNATAKA

Bifacial wooden cylindricalbody. Faces covered with skinsuspended from the neck,played with two sticks. Used incommunity group dancing andfolk ensembles.

DOTARA:ChordophoneASSAM

A plucked instrument withCylindrical wooden body. Alizard skin covered bowlshaped resonator, long neck,and a round peg box. Fourstrings, plucked by a plectrumwith right hand whereas the

strings are stopped by left handfingers. Used by the folk andtraditional singers of‘Goalpara’ and ‘Kamroop’districts of Assam.

DRUM::::: MembranophoneKERALA

A cylindrical drum. Crudelyshaped out of a log of treetrunk. Deer skins are stretchedon the both heads held throughbig holes made at the edges ofthe skin covers and thin leatherstraps. The instrument issuspended horizontally withthe help of a piece of coconutrope and played by both hands.Used by the ‘Kurumba’ tribes ofKerala in their group danceand music.

DUFF:::::MembranophoneMAHARASHTRA

A wooden circular frame drumcovered on one side with skin.Held in left hand and beatenwith stick held in right hand.Used in folk and traditionalmusic and dance, particularly in‘Pavada’ and ‘Sahiri’ songs.

DUTTATREYA VEENA:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

An improvised compositeinstrument. A gourd resonatorattached to a wide fingerboard. Geared pegs on asquare framed peg box. Fivemain strings of steel and brass,five drone strings, twenty‘Swarmandala’ steel strings. Itis played in the same way as‘Sitar’ is played withoccasional strumming on theSwarmandala.

Dotara, Assam

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EDAKKA:MembranophoneKERALA

An hour-glass-shaped twoheaded drum, slung from leftshoulder. The right face isstruck with a stick, while lefthand is used for varying thetension of the parchment bypulling and releasing thecotton cord wound round thewaist of the drum. Used as apart of instrumental ensemble,in the rituals conducted in thetemples of Kerala. Also as anaccompaniment to Kathakaliand Mohiniattam classicaldances.

EK-BANDI-BANSI:::::AerophoneORISSA

A cylindrical bamboo tube withfive finger holes. Blowing holedivided with wax. Held withboth hands, blown through theembouchure. Used by graziersof Orissa.

EKKALAM::::: AerophoneTAMILNADU

A brass tube with a saucershaped opening and anintegrated mouth rest. Threebulging rings surround thetube. Used in temple music,processions etc.

EKTARA:::::ChordophoneKASHMIR

A bamboo piece insertedthrough a gourd covered with askin. Contains a single steelstring stretched over thebamboo stick and tied to awooden tuning peg at theupper end of the stick. Plucked

rhythmically by right hand indexfinger. Used by singers ofKashmir and neighbouringregions as a drone instrument.

EKTARA:::::ChordophoneMAHARASHTRA

A bamboo is inserted throughthe centre of gourd, upper sideof the gourd sliced out andcovered with skin. A singlesteel string. Plucked with fingeror plectrum. Used bytraditional folk singers inMaharashtra as a droneinstrument.

ESRAJ:::::ChordophoneWEST BENGAL

A medium sized bowedinstrument. Resonator andfinger board with peg boxmade separately and later onjoint together. Entire bodymade of wood, resonatorcovered with goat skin. Fourmain strings, 15 sympatheticstrings and nineteen frets.Played with a horse hair bow.Used in North Indian classicalconcerts as a solo instrument.Also a popular accompanyinginstrument of RabindraSangeet.

GABGUBI::::: ChordophoneBIHAR

Skin covered barrel shapedresonator of tin. Hole on oneface. A cotton string passedthrough the parchment andfixed. Resonator pressed underthe left arm, string is pulled bysame hand and plucked by righthand. Used by ‘Baul’ singersand folk singers.

Esraj, West Bengal

Ek-Bandi-Bansuri, Orissa

Duttatreya Veena, North India

Ektara, Maharashtra

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GETTU VADYAM:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

An instrument with roundwooden resonator, long neckand bent peg box ending with alion motif. Also contains anextra resonator. Strings four innumber, made of steel, arestruck with a bamboo bladeand stopped by another blade,used as a drone cum rhythmicaccompaniment. A rareinstrument.

GHANTA::::: IdiophoneTAMILNADU

A bell made of brass, ironclapper is suspended inside thebell. It is suspended from theceiling of the foyer throughiron chain. It is an importantitem of worship in the temple.Played by swinging clapper.Used in temples.

GHATAM::::: IdiophoneTAMILNADU

A pitcher shaped pot made ofbaked clay with a large belly.Mouth is left uncovered.Beaten with fingers, palms, fistsand nails of both the hands onvarious parts of the pot, to getwide variety of sounds andtones. Used in South Indianclassical concerts withMridangam and Khanjeera.

GHERA:::::MembranophoneRAJASTHAN

An octagonal frame drum. Facecovered with skin. Played witha padded stick. Used by folkmusicians of Rajasthan ingroup singing. Associated withthe Holi festival.

GHUMAT::::: MembranophoneGOA

A baked earthen pitcher,covered at wider end withlizard skin and upper sideopen. When played, slung fromthe shoulder and beaten withfingers of the both hands. Usedin folk and traditional musicalensembles of Goa.

GHUMERA:::::MembranophoneORISSA

A pitcher shaped pot with longneck, bulged belly and skincovered wide opening. Bodymade of clay, tied verticallyaround the waist and played byboth hands. Used in a folkdance form ‘Ghumera-Nautcha’ by ‘Ghumra’community of Orissa. Paintedwith folk motifs.

GHURARIA::::: IdiophoneRAJASTHAN

A variety of Jews harp. A smallbamboo piece with a thintongue sliced off at the middle,making the entire body aresonator. A thin cotton cordwith jingle bells tied at theupper end, and the split lowerend is again tied with cottonthread so that the centretongue can vibrate freely inbetween. Pressed between theteeth, the string is plucked byfingers. Used in folk dance andmusic of Western Rajasthan.

GILLUGILLUPA::::: IdiophoneTAMILNADU

Two metal cones, weldedtogether at the rim to make ahollow chamber. A number ofsmall metal pallets are filled

Ghumat, Goa

Ghatam, Tamilnadu Ghera, Rajasthan

Gettu Vadyam, Tamilnadu

17

inside, shaken vigorously. Usedin folk music and dance ofTamilnadu.

GINI:::::IdiophoneORISSA

Two small metal disks of brasswith a slight bulge in thecentre. Units are struck face toface. Used in Kirtan and otherdevotional songs. A type ofmanjira.

GINTONG:::::ChordophoneASSAM

A bamboo tube with naturalnode intact on one end andopen at the other. Thin stringlike epidermis of the bamboois sliced off from the bodykeeping both the ends intact.Two bamboo bridges to createtension on the strings. A thinbamboo connector connectsboth the strings just above thesound hole made at the centreof the bamboo. Used by thetribals of Assam.

GOICHEI:::::AerophoneMANIPUR

Made out of a natural buffalohorn. No mouth piece but theblowing hole is made bychopping off the tip of thehorn. Used in group dances.Ceremonial and religiousoccasions.

GOPI JANTAR:::::ChordophoneORISSA

Cylindrical wooden resonatorwith base covered with skin,attached to a split bamboo. A

single steel string pluckedrhythmically by index finger.Used by ‘Bauls’ andmendicants of Orissa andneighbouring regions as adrone instrument. The splitbamboo is manipulated toproduce variations in tone.

GOTTU VADYAM:ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A plucked instrument withoutfrets. Resonator and fingerboard made of jack wood. Fivemain strings, two of coiledcopper and three steel strings,and three drone strings; withtwelve sympathetic steel stringsand on extra resonator. Stringsare plucked by the plectrumworn on fingers of right handwhereas the player stops thestrings to produce the noteswith the help of a cylindricalpiece of wood called ‘gottu’ byleft hand. Used in South Indianclassical music as a soloinstrument.

GOWRI KALAM:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

Conical straight metal trumpet.Made in three parts with foursmall circular bulge around thetube. A disc shaped bell and anintegrated mouth piece. Usedin temple processions andreligious ceremonies.

GUJARATAN SARANGI:ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

Made out of a single log ofwood, rectangular skin coveredresonator, narrow finger boardwith a square peg box. Two

Gintong, Assam

Gopi Jantar, Orissa

Gottu Vadyam, Tamilnadu

18

steel and two gut strings. Eightsympathetic steel strings,played with a bow. Used as anaccompaniment to traditionalsong and dance sequences of‘Langa’ community of WestRajasthan.

HALGI:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

An iron shallow frame drum.One side is covered with skinand laced to an iron ring at theback by leather strap. Whileplaying it is held in one hand,put at the shoulder level andgently stroked. Used bytraditionally and folk drummersof Gujarat.

HALGI:::::MembranophoneMAHARASHTRA

A skin covered circular woodenframe drum. The skin is tied upthrough a leather cord with thehelp of an iron ring at the back.Beaten with a pair of sticks.Used by folk musicians in theirmusic and dance sequences inMaharashtra.

HATH GHANTI:::::IdiophoneORISSA

A small metal bell with smallhandle and a tongue. Used intemples in religiousceremonies.

JANTAR::::: ChordophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Stick type wooden body withtwo gourds tied to it. Twelveraised wooden frets at thecentre. One main and oneauxiliary bridge, with two steel

strings. Played with a bowmade of horse hair. Used by‘Pradhan’ community ofMadhya Pradesh as anaccompanying instrument.

JEEL:::::MembranophoneRAJASTHAN

A single piece, cone shapedinstrument. Made out of manymetal pieces riveted together.Skin fastened with intricatelacing through upper hoop andone small leather hoop at thebottom. Possibly played alongwith a similar type of a biggerdrum. Beaten with two sticks.Used in traditional and folkmusic of Rajasthan.

JHANJA:::::IdiophoneORISSA

Two medium sized discs madeout of bell metal. Held by theattached cotton cord and struckfacing each other. Used assecondary rhythmicaccompaniment in ‘Pala’ and‘Kirtan’ forms of music inOrissa.

JOGI KENDRA:::::ChordophoneORISSA

A bamboo attached to acoconut shell, which is coveredwith parchment. A bunch ofhorse hair knitted togetherhooked into the string holderstretched and tied at the upperpart of the bamboo. Bowedwith a horse hair bow. Used bythe folk and traditionalmusicians of Orissa andneighbouring regions.

Jantar, Madhya Pradesh

Halgi. Maharashtra

19

JOGI SARANGI:::::ChordophoneUTTAR PRADESH

A bowed instrument carved outof a single piece of mangowood with an elongatedresonator, a finger board andsquare peg box. Resonatorcovered with parchment. Threemain gut strings tied to thestring holder, stretched parallelto the body, and go to theirrespective pegs. Sevensympathetic strings stretched inthe similar manner andconnected to the smaller pegson the side wall of the fingerboard. One main bridge, madeof wood, mounted on theresonator and one leatherbridge at the upper side of thefinger board. A heart shapedsound hole made on theresonator. Profusely decoratedwith ivory inlay work. Whileplaying, either suspended fromthe shoulder or placed on thelap. Bowed with a horse hairmade bow. Used by Jogicommunity of Uttar Pradesh.

JOGI SARANGI:ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

A bowed instrument scoopedout of a single log of wood.Centrally depressed parchedresonator, rectangular fingerboard and a square peg box.Two gut and two steel strings.Eleven sympathetic steelstrings. Decorated with inlaywork. Played with a horse hairbow. Used by ‘Jogi’ communityas an accompaniment to thenarrative songs based on thelives of local religious heroes.

KACHWA SITAR:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A plucked instrument of lutecategory. Finger-board and pegbox made of wood. Theresonator is made of half cutgourd. The long and broadfinger board has nineteen fretstied with silk thread. Five main,two drone and thirteensympathetic strings rest on onemain and one auxiliary bridge.A rare northern Indian concertinstrument.

KAKAD SINGHI:::::AerophoneGUJARAT

Made of two bent brass tubes.Lower half missing. Upper partwith funnel shaped opening.Round bulging rings surroundthe tube at intervals. Used infolk music and danceensembles.

KAHL::::: AerophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A brass tube of straight borehaving double bents. Saucershaped bell and integratedmouth rest. Blown through themouthpiece. Used in folk musicand also in processions at thetime of festivals.

KALASI:::::MembranophoneLACCADIVES

A wooden frame drum,covered with parchment. Heldby left hand and beaten by righthand fingers. Used by the folkgroup dancers while dancing ina group.

Kachwa Sitar, North India

Jogi Sarangi, Uttar Pradesh

20

KAMAICHA:::::ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

A bowed instrument with a bigbowl shaped skin coveredresonator, a rectangular fingerboard and a round peg box.Three main gut strings andeight drone steel strings areattached to a metal hook,passed over the bridge and tiedto the pegs. Played with a bowmade of Shisham wood andhorse hair. Used by the‘Manganiar’ Community ofWest Rajasthan as a popularaccompaniment to their songs.

KAMSALE::::: IdiophoneKARNATAKA

A pair of clappers with a cupshaped metal disc and a deepcentral depression. Made ofbell metal. Thick cotton sling istied to the disc. Used asrhythmic accompaniment indevotional music and dance ofKarnataka.

KANAKA TAMATEE:::::MembranophoneKARNATAKA

Bowl shaped metal vesselcovered with skin. A thin ironring at the edge. It is fastenedaround the waist and playedwith sticks. Used inprocessional and ceremonialmusic.

KARADI VADYA:::::MembranophoneKARNATAKA

A barrel shaped bifacialwooden drum. Faces arecovered with skin and tied withthe help of iron rings andcotton cord. Decorated cloth is

covered over the instrument.Played by either hands orsticks. Used in folk andtraditional music and dance.

KARNA::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A long brass trumpet, made intwo parts. Funnel shaped wideopening and integrated mouthpiece at narrow end. Held inboth hands and blown. Used inreligious, social ceremonies,and processions.

KARNAL::::: AerophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A long brass trumpet, made intwo sections. A mouth pieceand an open conical bell. Helddiagonally by both hands, andblown through the mouthpiece. Used in folk music,temple services andprocessions.

KARNAT::::: AerophoneGUJARAT

A long trumpet with hugeconical opening and narroweddown to a blowing hole withflat mouth rest. Made ofcopper sheet. Used in religiousceremonies at the time ofprocession. Also used as anaccompaniment to the folkmusic and dance of Gujarat.

KARTAL::::: IdiophoneRAJASTHAN

A pair of wooden clappers withfour sets of thin brass plates.Played by one hand, worn inone hand by means of thumband finger holes. Both thepieces are clashed face to face.Used in devotional and folkmusic.Karnat, Gujarat

Kamaicha, Rajasthan

21

Khol, West Bengal

KHAM:::::MembranophoneTRIPURA

A cylindrical bifacial woodenshell. Both the faces coveredwith skin. Right face highpitched than the left. Whileplaying hung from the neck andbeaten with both hands. Usedby tribals of Tripura in theirgroup dance and songs.

KHANGLING:::::AerophoneLADDAKH

A rare instrument made ofseasoned and dried-up humanbone. A metal cap with ablowing hole at upper end.Orifices at lower end coveredwith black skin. Blown throughthe hole. Used by the ‘Lamas’of Buddhist monasteries fortheir ritualistic purpose.

KHANJARI:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

A round wooden frame drumcovered with skin on one side.Nailed at the edges are 13pairs of jingle brass plates.Used by folk singers anddancers of Gujarat andneighbouring regions.

KHANJARI:::::MembranophoneRAJASTHAN

A frame drum with a woodenrim on one face on which avery thin transparent skin isstretched and pasted at theedges. The other side is open.Painted with yellow, black andred colour bands. Held in lefthand and beaten with righthand palm and fingers. Used

for rhythmic accompaniment indevotional, folk and traditionalmusic of Rajasthan.

KHANJERI:::::MembranophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A round wooden frame drumcovered with skin on one side.Held by left hand and beatenwith right hand fingers andpalm. Used by ‘Gond’ tribes ofMadhya Pradesh.

KHARAM-DUBANG:::::MembranophoneASSAM

Two hemispherical kettle drumsmade of burnt clay. Left one isalmost three times larger thanright one. Skin covered facesplayed together with sticks.Used in folk and communitysongs and dances in Assam.

KHOL:::::MembranophoneWEST BENGAL

Widely used bifacialpercussion instrument of clayof the eastern region. Rightside head is much smaller andhigher-pitched than the lefthead. The two faces of thedrum are covered with layeredskin held by braids and thirtytwo thin leather strips. Rightface of the drum loaded withblack paste and left with mudand rice dust. Slung from theneck horizontally, played withboth the hands. Used intraditional and devotionalmusic forms like Kirtan, Bhajanand Baul singing.

22

KHUNG::::: AerophoneMANIPUR

A bowl shaped gourd with along neck in which a bamboonozzle an three bamboo tubeswith finger holes are inserted.Held in both hands, blownthrough the nozzle. Used bythe folk musicians of Manipurand neighbouring regions formelodic accompaniment.

KING::::: ChordophoneKASHMIR

An instrument of zither variety.Two gourds are tied under abamboo tube with a square flatwooden bridge. Single steelstring plucked with right handfinger. Whereas left hand fingerstop the string on frets. Thickconical frets are made of woodwith a metal strip nailed on topportion. Used in folk andtraditional music as anaccompaniment to the vocalist.

KOKKARA::::: IdiophoneTAMILNADU

An iron scraper. Made in twoparts: a scraper and an ironrod. The iron rod, when drawnover the series of the notchescarved on the scraper producesa rattling sound. Used byKannikar’s of Kerala withChattupatta in a form ofsinging sung specially to driveaway the evil spirit. Also usedin Tamilnadu.

KOLATTAM KARA:::::IdiophoneANDHRA PRADESH

Pair of long lathe-finished andlacquer painted wooden sticks.They are struck together. Used

in Kolattam - a dance form ofAndhra Pradesh.

KONAKOMBU:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

‘S’ shaped brass tube, made inthree bent parts. Wide openingand an integrated mouth piece.Used in receptions, publicamusements, martial arts andtemple music.

KSING SHYNRANG:::::MembranophoneMEGHALAYA

A wooden bifacial cylindricalbody covered with parchmentand laced to the body byleather straps. Iron rings areinserted in the straps for tuningthe drum. Right face smallerthan left face. Small face playedwith stick and left face thebigger one, played by hand. Itis used in religious dancefestival called “Ka Shad NongKrim” of Khasi community ofJaintia hills.

KSING-PHONG:::::IdiophoneMEGHALAYA

About two feet long, fifteenbamboo tubes tied together.The skin of bamboo sticks aresplited and lifted off from thebody. Two bamboo sticks arefitted in between the skin andthe sticks’ on both corners andtwo long sticks at the centre.Held with one hand and struckwith stick, rhythmically from theother hand. Used in religiousand festival dances of Khasi ofJaintia hills and neighbouringregions.

Khung, Manipur

23

KUNDALAM:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A pair of drums, shell made ofbrass covered with parchment.Played by two curved sticks.While playing both are slungfrom the waist. Used in‘Poyakkal Diraiattam’ - a type ofdummy horsed dance forrhythmic accompaniment.

LEBANG-TI::::: idiophoneTRIPURA

A long bamboo tube split inhalf keeping the end nodeintact. A considerable portionof the side walls are sliced offto provide a spring action inthe arms. A single string tied toeach arm. Kept vertically on theground. While playing, it isstruck rhythmically on the face.Used by the tribals of Tripuraparticularly in a form called‘Lebang Bumani’.

LHA: ChordophoneMANIPUR

A single stringed bowedinstrument with horse hairstring and a coconut shellresonator. Long collapsiblebow of arched iron rod, hairstitched to cotton pads at bothends on bamboo handles.Jingle bells tied to the iron rod.Used as an accompaniment todance and music.

MADAL::::: MembranophoneORISSA

A bifacial barrel shaped drummade of baked clay. Both thefaces covered with parchmentand tied with dense leatherlacing through hoops. Blackpaste loading on both faces.

Suspended from the neck andplayed by hands. Used in tribalcommunity dances.

MAGUDI::::: AerophoneTAMILNADU

The instrument consists ofbulbous gourd air chamber andblowing hole. Two tubesprobably made of bamboo areinserted into the air chamber.One of the tubes has sevenfinger holes and one rear, andthe other has two holes on theside. Used by snake charmersand jugglers.

MAHURI::::: AerophoneORISSA

A wooden tube having doublebeating reed and sevenfingering holes, a metallic bellattached in front. Blownthrough the reed. Used onauspicious, social andreligious occasions. Aprominent accompaniment in‘Dalkha’ performance.

MAJHI KENDRA:::::ChordophoneORISSA

A bamboo finger boardinserted into the skin coveredresonator made of buffalohorn. A bunch of horse hair isused for making a single string.Played with a bow made ofhorse hair. Used by the Majhitribe of Mayurbhanj district foraccompaniment with vocalmusic.

MAKARA VEENA:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

Looks like a crocodile. Madeof hard wood. Consists of a

Kundalam, Tamilnadu

Mahuri, Orissa

Magudi, Tamilnadu

24

resonator, finger board andpeg box. Fourteen frets madeof bone. Two steel stringsresting on a wooden bridgeand tied to pegs at upper end.Playing technique probablyresembles to South Indian‘Veena’. Probably a replica ofsome ancient instrument.

MAKARA YAZH:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A replica of an old musicalinstrument. A hollow fishshaped wooden body withfourteen wooden pegs at thetail in which steel strings aretied. The strings were probablystrummed by fingers forproviding melodic support tothe vocalists.

MANDAR:::::MembranophoneBIHAR

A bifacial drum. Both sides arecovered with parchment andlaced by leather straps throughleather hoops at both ends.Right side loaded with blackpaste. Whereas left side istreated with rice paste. Theshell is covered all round withthe leather straps. Slunghorizontally by leather stringaround the neck and played byboth hands. Used in groupsinging for rhythmicaccompaniment. Covered by acolorful cloth.

MANDER:::::MembranophoneBIHAR

Barrel shaped shell made ofbaked clay, both heads coveredwith skin. Played by both

hands. Used by ‘Oraon’drummers and dancers ingroup dance.

MANDIRA::::: IdiophoneORISSA

A pair of small metal bowlshaving deep pointed bulge atcentre. Struck frontally or edgeto edge. Used in devotionalforms of music.

MANJIRA::::: IdiophoneGUJARAT

A pair of clappers made ofwood. Jingle plates are looselyattached to the body by meansof iron nails. The body isbeautifully carved with birdmotifs. Played by one hand, byholding the clappers betweenthumb and four fingers. Used indevotional singing. Also calledKartal or Khartal in NorthIndia.

MASHAK::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A bag pipe, made out of fullsize goat skin. A decorativeblowing pipe, made of bambooand having five finger holes,inserted and fixed in the bagwith the help of wax. Blownthrough the mouth. The inflatedbag serving as the air chamber,is operated by the pressure ofarms. Used in folk music anddance.

MIENG::::: IdiophoneMEGHALAYA

A Jews harp made of bamboo.A vibrating tongue is sliced offat the centre. Held firmlybetween the lips and pluckedon one side by fingers. Themouth acts as a resonator. It is

Makara Yazh, Tamilnadu

25

Mugarban, Gujarat

used by cowherds andshepherds of Meghalaya andneighbouring areas.

MIZHAVU:::::MembranophoneKERALA

A pitcher shaped single facedrum, made of copper, mouthcovered with skin. Kept on awooden stand while playing.Played by both the hands. Usedby the Nambiyar community ofKerala in Kudiattam.

MOHURI:::::AerophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Made in two parts – woodentube and funnel shaped bell.Six finger holes, doublebeating reed. Blown throughthe reed. Used in auspicious,social and religiousceremonies.

MOOKH VEENA:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

A conical wooden tube and awooden bell attached together.Eight finger holes and doublebeating reed. Used in templesto the accompaniment of adrone and maddalam on theoccasion of certain minorservices. Also used inNagaswaram ensembles.

MORCHANG:::::IdiophoneRAJASTHAN

A Jews harp, made of metaland decorated with a peacockhead motif. The instrument isheld between the thumb andthe forefinger of the left hand.A portion of Lamela is pressed

firmly between the teeth andthe free tongue is struck in a toand fro movement by righthand fore finger. The mouth ofthe player acts as a resonator.

MRIDANG:::::MembranophoneSOUTH INDIA

Bifacial cylindrical drum madeof wood, tapering down toboth ends. Layered parchmentsstretched over both faces andbraced with thin leather strapsthrough hoops. Thin woodenwedges between body andleather straps, used for pitchadjustment. Black paste invarious layers loaded on rightface. Much smaller then theclassical Mridangam. Possiblyused in folk forms.

MRIDANGAM:::::MembranophoneSOUTH INDIA

A popular bifacial drum ofCarnatic music, made ofJackwood. A cylindrical bodytapered at both the ends.Layered parchments, fastenedto leather hoops and keptintact and tight by leatherbraces, at times small pieces ofwood are also put in betweenthese braces to facilitate thetuning. Black paste loaded onright face in layers. Very fineflour dough applied on the leftface before the performanceand taken out immediatelyafterwards. Used as anaccompaniment in South IndianClassical music.

Mizhavu, Kerala

26

MUGARBAN:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

A huge barrel, mountedvertically on a square, four-legged iron frame. Theopening at the top is coveredwith cow-hide. Bracing of thedrum head is done by cottonropes through the holes. Entirebody is covered withdecorative cloth and peacockfeathers. Used by ‘Siddi’community of Gujarat.

MURARI SUMUI:::::AerophoneTRIPURA

A tribal flute, made of bamboo,seven finger holes and oneblowing hole both sides open.Held with both hands andblown through mouth hole.Used in community dance andmusic of West Tripura.

NAAGPHANI::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A bronze tube with serpentinebents. Snake hood shaped bellwith a metal tongue inside,painted with bright colours.Used in religious and socialceremonies as a part of theprocession.

NAAL::::: MembranophoneORISSA

A barrel shaped clay body, withred cloth pasted on entirebody. Skin covered faces,braced with thick cotton rope,through hoops. Left faceloaded from inside, black loadapplied on right side. Playedwith both hands. Used in folkand traditional music of orissa.

NAGA DRUM:::::MembranophoneNAGALAND

A fat bodied cylindrical drum. Aleather strap is woven aroundthe parched faces as hoops,and interlacing them with thehelp of holes. Suspended fromthe shoulder or neck whileplaying. Used for rhythmicaccompaniment in group danceand music. Also used infestivities.

NAGAR::::: MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A pair of two hemisphericalkettle drums of bronze. Facesare covered with skin. Intricatelacing through small holes atthe rim and tied to a ring at thebottom. Played together eitherin sitting or standing position.Beaten with two sticks. Used ingroup dance, social festivitiesetc.

NAGARA::::: MembranophoneBIHAR

A large, deep hemisphericalvessel, made of riveted ironstrips. Large opening coveredwith buffalo hide and tied tothe edge by means of a leathercord through holes and a hoopat the bottom. Beaten with twowooden sticks. Used in‘Seraikella’ Chhau dance.

NAGARA::::: MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A pair of drums. Consist of twohemispherical bowls of metal.Thick parchment stretched byleather straps. Both are ofunequal size, small one of highpitch and large one of lowpitch. It is either placed on the

Nagara, Bihar

Naagphani, Rajasthan

27

ground or slung around thewaist. Played simultaneously bysticks. Used in accompanimentwith ‘Shehnai’ on festiveoccasions.

NAGARA:::::MembranophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Unifacial vessel, made ofpieces of iron strips joinedtogether, covered with hide.Played by two thick woodensticks. Used by ‘Ho’ tribes ofMadhya Pradesh.

NAGARU:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

Hemispherical burnt clay bodywith the skin covered face.Tightened by leather strapthrough a small hoop. Playedwith two sticks. Used inprocessions, temple services.Also in folk music and dancesequences.

NAGASWARAM:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

A premier wind pipe of carnaticmusic, accorded high status asa Mangala Vadyam since timeimmemorial. This doublereeded instrument, made ofwood has two parts; conicaltube and a metal bell. Tubeenlarging downwards with ahorn like portion at the end,fitted with a metal bell. Sevenfinger and five vent holes. Thedouble reed called ‘aku’ (inTelugu) acts as valve, fixed to ametal staple and inserted in thetube. Spare reeds with woodenneedle for adjusting the reed iskept with the instrument

hanging from the staple. Theaccompanying percussioninstrument is Tavil.Occasionally Talam, the largecymbals are also played withthe Nagaswaram.

The instrument is closelyidentified with temples andother religions events. Theinstrumental ensemble, withnagaswaram being theprincipal instrument, is called‘Periamelam’. Used onauspicious and religiousoccasions as also in classicalconcerts.

NAGPHANI:::::AerophoneGUJARAT

A cylindrical bronze tube withserpentine bents and serpenthood shaped bell attached toit. An open mouth hole. Usedin ritualistic social ceremoniesand festivities.

NAL:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

Bifacial, cylindrical woodenbody, with skin covered heads.Braced with cotton ropethrough hoops. Left faceloaded with black paste inlayers. Played with both hands.Used in traditional and folkmusic.

NARH:::::AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A tube made of Kangore wood.Four finger holes. Blown fromthe upper end, holes aremanipulated by fingers. Usedby shepherd community ofRajasthan.

Nagaswaram, Tamilnadu

28

NARSINGHA:::::AerophoneBIHAR

‘S’ shaped trumpet made ofcopper. Blown through themouth piece. Used by ‘Oraon’tribe of Bihar.

NARSINGHA:::::AerophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A three bent copper tube with awide funnel shaped openingand an integrated mouthpieceat the blowing end. Shaped like‘S’. Five raised metal ringssurround the tube. Used insocial ceremonies, folk musicand dance.

NIBROK PALITH:::::AerophoneSIKKIM

A pair of about one and a halffeet long flutes tied togetherwith the help of bamboo stripsand wax. Both tubes have sixholes, and one side hole.Blown simultaneously. Used onthe occasion of wedding inSikkim and neighbouringregion.

NISHAN:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Vessel shaped body made ofriveted iron sheet. Open facecovered with thick hide,stretched and tightened byleather strap. Two antelopehorns are tied on either side.Beaten with two thick leatherstraps. Used by tribals ofOrissa and Bastar area ofMadhya Pradesh.

NOOT:::::IdiophoneKASHMIR

A pitcher made of baked clay.The upper half is lacquerpainted depicting folk motifs.While playing, placed on lap oron the ground, on a small ringand played with fingers of bothhands. Used for rhythmicaccompaniment alongwithRabab and Saitar in SufianaQalam and other devotionaland traditional musical formsof Kashmir.

NOUBAT:::::MembranophoneGUJARAT

A pair of unifacial vesselsmade of riveting iron sheet.Faces covered with hide andtied with leather hoops andleather strap bracing. Left drumloaded with paste from inside.Played together with two sticks.Used in processions, at thetime of festivals or religiousoccasions.

OTTU:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

A wooden tube of conicalbore, enlarges downwards withfive or six holes at the farthestend, which are wholly orpartially closed with wax. Adouble beating reed fixed to ametal staple inserted in thetube at blowing end. A metalbell attached to the tube. Theinstrument is used forproviding drone; the basic noteto the Nagaswaram. Also usedin folk, traditional and religiousmusic.

29

PABUJI-KE-MATE:::::MembranophoneRAJASTHAN

A pair of fat bellied huge sizedpitchers with short neck andwide opening made of bakedclay. Skin is stretched and fixedover the opening by piercingthin wooden pieces throughthe edge of the parchment allaround the neck. Used by the‘Thori’ and ‘Nayak’ communityof western Rajasthan, whilenarrating life of Pabuji, a localhero.

PAKHAWAJ:::::MembranophoneNORTH INDIA

One of the major percussioninstruments of North Indianclassical music. A bifacialcylindrical drum hollowed outof a block of wood. Skin,covering the faces are fastenedto the leather hoops by leatherstraps. Right face is loaded withblack paste. Fine wheat flourdough is applied on left facebefore the performance andtaken out immediately afterthat. Played with fingers andpalms of both hands. Used inNorth Indian classical concertsparticularly with ‘Dhrupad’ and‘Dhamar’ style of music andwith the instruments played inDhrupad style such as Been,Rabab, Surbahar etc. Also asolo instrument.

PALITH KING:::::AerophoneSIKKIM

A straight flute, having sixfinger holes. A fipple holesituated a few centimetresdown the blowing hole. Held

vertically with both hands andblown through theembouchure. Used bycowherds.

PAMBA:::::MembranophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A pair of cylindrical drums ofbrass, with parchment coveredfaces. Braced with cotton ropeswith the help of wider ironhoops. Slung from the waist,and beaten with wooden sticks.Used in folk concerts andreligious ceremonies in AndhraPradesh.

PANTHONG-PALIT:::::AerophoneSIKKIM

A horizontal flute, about onemetre long, made of bamboo.Closed at the blowing end.Blowing hole at a fewcentimetres down from theclosed end. Four finger holes.Used in folk and traditionalmusical forms. Specially on theoccasion of wedding.

PENA::::: ChordophoneMANIPUR

A bowed instrument withparched coconut shell belly,Lathe finished wooden fingerboard and single horse hairstring. Played with a horse hairbow with an arched iron rodwith jingle bells and bamboohandle. Used in traditionalmusic and dance forms.

PENDRE::::: AerophoneBIHAR

A wooden pipe with six fingerholes, double beating reed anda metallic bell on the other

Pabuji-Ke-Mate, Rajasthan

Pena, Manipur

30

end. Blown through the reed.used by ‘Oraon’ community ofBihar.

PEPA::::: AerophoneASSAM

Two buffalo horns tied togetherwith two reed pipes atnarrower end with four fingerholes. Blown through the reed.Also called ‘Jodia Pepa’.Popular folk instrument.Particularly used during ‘Bihu’festival in Assam.

POHL::::: MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

An hour glass shaped drummade of brass with elongatedwaist. Both faces covered byskin and tightened by cottoncord. A separate cord tied atthe centre to increase tensionon the skins. Suspendeddiagonally in front and beatenby both hands. It is used in folksongs of Himachal Pradesh.

POPATIK::::: IdiophoneSIKKIM

An about one feet long clapper,made of bamboo tube.Bamboo is sliced off verticallyfrom the centre keeping theother end intact. While playing,held in one hand and the twosliced off arms are struckrhythmically, by another hand.Used in group dances ofSikkim.

POT DRUM:::::MembranophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A pitcher shaped bifacial drum,made of baked clay. Sliced offfrom both the sides. Facescovered with parchments.

Tightened by leather strapsdirectly through the holes.Suspended from the neck oroccasionally placed on ground.Played with two sticks, used insinging and dancing.

PREMTAL::::: ChordophoneUTTAR PRADESH

Primarily a rhythmicmonochord string made of gutbrought to tension by pullingand releasing the stick held inthe left hand and the gourdresonator with parchmentnailed on one side held underthe left arm. While pulling, thestring is simultaneouslyplucked by finger or woodenplectrum rhythmically. Used byballadeers, mendicants andsnake charmers in and aroundUttar Pradesh.

PUJARI-KAICHLAMBU:::::IdiophoneTAMILNADU

A pair of ecliptical hollowmetal rings, with a number ofsolid pallets filled inside. Boththe units are inserted in bothhand’s fingers and moved in aunique manner. Associatedwith ‘Holi’ festival and in otherauspicious occasions.

PULLAVAN KUDAM:::::ChordophoneKERALA

A plucked instrument mainlyused for providing rhythm. Astring passes through theparchment and is plucked withwooden plectrum. Used aspercussion accompaniment bythe ‘Pullavans’ of Malabar, atribe of snake worshippers.

Pepa, Assam

Pullavan Kudam, Kerala

Pohl, Himachal Pradesh

31

Ramsagar, Gujarat

PULLUVAN VEENA:::::ChordophoneKERALA

Skin covered circular woodenresonator, wooden fingerboard and a rectangular pegbox open on top, single fibrestring. Played with a bow. Usedby the Pullavan Community foraccompaniment to their songssung in praise of snake-deities.

PUMBA::::: MembranophoneKERALA

A bifacial brass cylindricalbody. Both faces covered withskin which is stitched on ironhoops, kept tight with the helpof cotton cords. Played withtwo curved sticks. Used forrhythmic accompaniment infolk concerts and religiousprocessions.

PUNG::::: MembranophoneMANIPUR

A hollow cylindrical drum ofsoft wood, both faces arecovered with parchment, blackloading is pasted on both theheads. The parchment is lacedby the leather straps. A cottonbelt is tied to the straps withthe help of brass ring. Whitethin cloth is wrapped aroundthe body. Slung horizontally tothe neck and played with bothhands. It is used as anaccompaniment toNatasankirtana and othertraditional forms of Manipur.

PUNGI::::: AerophoneMADHYA PRADESH

A large round gourd and anextended neck, with sliced offblowing hole at one end. Threebamboo pipes with single

beating reed, inserted throughcalabash and fixed with wax.Eight finger holes in front andone thumb hole on the rearside in right hand pipe. Centrepipe has three holes. Whereasleft one attached with a longmetal tube. Held in both hands,blown through the wideopening. Used by snakecharmers.

PUNGI::::: AerophoneUTTAR PRADESH

A round gourd with extendedneck. Two bamboo pipes withsingle beating reed insertedthrough calabash and fixedwith wax. Seven finger holeson the upper side and onethumb hole on the rear side ofone pipe and two holes on theother pipe. Blown through theopening at the end of the neck.Used by snake charmers.

RABAB: ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A partially fretted pluckedinstrument. Made out of asingle block of wood. Skincovered resonator, having sidedepressions; a long narrowfinger board with an archedpeg box. Six main playingstrings & gut and elevensympathetic steel stringsplucked with the help ofplectrum held in right hand.Used in ‘Chakkari’, ‘SufiyanaQalam’ and other folk forms ofKashmir.

RAMSAGAR:::::ChordophoneGUJARAT

Skin covered resonator madeof gourd attached to a long

Rabab, Jammu and Kashmir

Pung, Manipur

Pulluvan Veena, Kerala

32

bamboo tube. A metal hook atthe base of resonator isdesigned as a string holder.Two steel strings tied to twowooden pegs. Pluckedrhythmically with right handfore finger. Used as a droneinstrument by folk musicians.

RANG-THALI:::::IdiophoneTRIPURA

A shallow bowl of bronzehaving raised edge. Hammermarks on the body. Held in onehand and struck at the centrewith a wooden stick. Used intribal dance and songs.

RAN-HALGI:::::MembranophoneMAHARASHTRA

An iron circular frame drum.One face covered with skin.Beaten with palm and fingersof right hand. Used forpercussion accompanimentwith community dances andsongs.

RANSINGA::::: AerophoneGUJARAT

Also known as ‘Kakad Singhi’.Made of two bent brass tubesof conical bore. Funnel shapedopening and integrated mouthpiece with a mouth rest. Heldin vertical position and blown.Used in religious and socialceremonies and folk music.

RAUNZA:::::MembranophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A bifacial drum, held verticallyaway from body at a particularangle. One drum-head isbeaten with two sticks of

different shapes and sizes forproducing a variety of rhythmicpatterns.

RAVANHATHA:ChordophoneGUJARAT

A bowed instrument with around wooden fingerboard,penetrated through a halvedcoconut shell, covered withskin. Two steel strings tied tothe pegs on upper end. Playedwith a curved bow of horsehair. Used as anaccompaniment to folk songsof Gujarat and neighbouringregions.

RAVANHATHA:::::ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

Resonator made of coconutshell. A long bamboo fingerboard is fixed to it. The mainplaying string is made of horsehair whereas another playingstring and 16 sympatheticstrings are made of steel.Played with a bow, made ofcurved wooden stick and horsehair. Used for vocalaccompaniment by Bhopas ofRajasthan in a traditionalnarrative form called, Pabuji-Ki-Phad.

ROBANA::::: ChordophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

Body made of single piece ofwood. Bowl shaped resonatorcovered with skin, long neckand a decorative peg box. Fivegut strings and one sympatheticsteel string. Plucked by righthand with a bone plectrum.Used by folk and traditionalsingers of Himachal Pradesh.

Rang-Thali, Tripura

Ravanhatha, Rajasthan

Ravanhatha, Gujarat

Raunza, Andhra Pradesh

33

RUDRA VEENA:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A long tubular body made ofwood. Two large sized round,resonators, made of finequality gourds placed under thetube, at an equal distance fromcentre. Four playing stringsone of steel and three ofcopper tied to the hook onlower end, stretched parallel tothe tube and go to the ornatetuning pegs. Two drone stringsmounted on the bridges oneither side of the tube,stretched and tied to theirrespective pegs. Twenty fourbrass fitted raised woodenfrets, fixed on the tube, with thehelp of wax. The resonatorsare richly decorated withwooden floral carvings.Carvings on the peg box aswell. The lower end of tube ischiselled out like a bird andserves as a base for the wideflat ivory bridge. While playing,one gourd rests on leftshoulder and other on rightthigh. Played with wireplectrums worn on right handfingers. An instrument used inNorthern Indian classicalmusic.

SAGNA:::::MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A hollow barrel shaped framehaving large and wide drumheads. Painted skin pasted atthe rim on both faces. Bodycoloured with bright lacquer.Beaten with a curved stick.Used by ‘Lamas’ in ritualisticand monastic dances.

SAITAR::::: ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A fretted, plucked variety oflute, with an elongated body. Along finger board, arectangular peg box and a pearshaped hollow resonator allmade of wood. The resonatoris covered with a woodenplank. Seven gut frets fitted onthe long narrow finger board.Contains seven steel strings.Used in folk, traditional anddevotional music of Kashmirlike Sufiana Qalam and others.

SAMBAL::::: MembranophoneMAHARASHTRA

A pair of kettle drums ofunequal size are tied together.Larger one of brass, smallerone of wood. Skin covers arefixed with iron hoops. Bracingdone by cotton cords throughthe holes and a large ironhoop at the bottom. Playedwith two bent headed sticks.Drums suspended from thewaistline with a cord. Used infolk and traditional music andin other religious occasions atthe time of procession.

SANANDA::::: ChordophoneASSAM

An integrated wooden body.Short finger board, deepresonator with its lower partcovered with skin. The scrollhas a carved peacock motif.Open at the lower end. Threeplaying strings made of cotton.Bowed with a horse hair bowby right hand whereas left handfingers stop the strings. Used

Saitar, Jammu and Kashmir

Robana, Himachal Pradesh

Rudra Veena, North India

34

by folk and traditional singersof Assam and neighbouringregions for melodic support.

SANANTA:ChordophoneMANIPUR

A bowed instrument, scoopedout of a single log of wood. Anelongated arch-shapedresonator covered partiallywith snake skin, with five soundhotels. A small finger boardwith four steel strings. Playedwith a horse hair bow. Used intraditional music of Manipur.

SANTOOR:::::ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A trapezoid wooden box, 120steel strings, stretched on 30wooden bridges in sets of fouron each bridge. Bridges arearranged in a set of fifteen oneach side. Struck by bamboomallets. It is placed on atriangular wooden stand whileplaying. Used in traditionalmusic of Kashmir calledSufiana Qalam. Has nowacquired an important place asa classical music instrument.

SARAN:ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A bowed instrument, scoopedout of a single log of wood,skin covered resonator, deeplydepressed on both sides.Rectangular finger boardharrow at the upper end and asquare peg box. Two gut andtwo steel strings. Tensympathetic steel strings playedwith a horse hair bow. Used in

‘Chakkari’, ‘Sufiyana Qalam’and other folk forms ofKashmir.

SARANGA:ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A bowed instrument scoopedout of a single log of wood. Bi-partitioned belly, covered withskin. A thick finger board and asquare peg box. Three mainplaying strings made of gut.Played with a horse hair bow.Used in traditional musicalensembles in Jammu andKashmir.

SARANGA: ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A bowed instrument with arectangular body, made ofwood with parched resonator.Contains three playing stringsone of twisted steel and twomade of gut, thirteensympathetic steel strings. Whileplaying, the instrument is keptupright, resonator on lap andstem against left shoulder ofthe player. Played with a horsehair bow. Used by ‘Jogi’ and‘haradi’ community of Jammuand Kashmir.

SARANGI (BANAM):::::ChordophoneBIHAR

Wooden body with peg box,short finger board and a pearshaped resonator. Loweropening is covered with snakeskin. Two main strings of gutand four sympathetic steelstrings. Played with a bow andused in folk and traditionalmusic.

Santoor, Jammu and Kashmir

35

SARANGI:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A bowed instrument scoopedout of a single log of wood.Three main playing strings ofgut, of varying thickness. Thirtyseven sympathetic steel strings.Played with a bow made ofhorse hair. Strings are stoppednot by finger tips but by thebase of the nails. Used as aprominent accompaniment tothe vocalists in Northern IndianClassical music, and also forsolo performance.

SARINDA:::::ChordophoneTRIPURA

Three stringed bowedinstrument. An integratedwooden body with peg box,short finger board and a pearshaped resonator partlycovered with skin pasted on thelower end, having flat frontalface. The scroll has a woodencarved bird. Used by the tribalsof ‘Tripura’.

SARINDA:ChordophoneASSAM

A bowed instrument with threemain playing steel strings.Hollowed out of a single blockof wood; one third of theresonator is covered withparchment fixed with woodenmails; Played with a horse hairbow; Used for accompanimentin Assamese songs.

SAROD:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A popular plucked instrumentof North India. Entire bodycarved out of a single block of‘tun’ wood. A round resonator,broad finger board and atapering, arched, peg box.Resonator parched with a veryfine membrane of goat skin.There are two sets of strings.Upper set contains, four mainplaying strings, four drone andtwo chikari strings. Lower set isof fifteen sympathetic strings.All are attached to a metalstring holder underneath theresonator, pass through thebridge and finally fixed to theirrespective pegs. The main ivorybridge is placed on theresonator. A small squarebridge mounted parallel toupper nut, to support the dronestrings. Strings plucked by acoconut shell plectrum held inright hand. A portion of lefthand finger tips and a portionof nail, are used to stop thestrings over the polished fingerboard. Used in North Indianclassical music for soloconcerts.

SATSANG::::: ChordophoneSIKKIM

A bowed instrument, made ofsingle block of wood. Shortfinger board, rectangular pegbox and parchment pastedresonator. Four steel stringstied to the string holder atresonator’s end and connectedto the pegs on upper side.Played with horse hair bow.Used in music and dance ofSikkim.

Sarod, North India

Sarinda, Tripura

36

SAZ-E-KASHMIR:ChordophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A bowed instrument decoratedwith ivory work. Roundresonator of soft woodcovered with skin. Lathefinished cylindrical fingerboard. Three main gut stringsand fourteen sympathetic steelstrings. Played with a bow.Used in traditional forms ofJammu and Kashmir.

SENMU:::::IdiophoneMANIPUR

A large bronze gong withedges inverted inwards and asmall bulge at the centre.Struck by a long paddedwooden stick on bulge. Used intraditional folk dances ofManipur.

SGNA:MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A broad wooden frame withparchment pasted on bothsides. With a long woodentapering handle. Decoratedwith ritualistic motifs incoloured lacquer. Beaten witha curved stick called ‘Yep’.Used by the Lamas in ritualisticdances.

SGNA:MembranophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A hollow barrel shaped framehaving large and wide drumheads. Painted skin pasted atthe rim on both faces. Bodycoloured with bright lacquer.Beaten with a curved stick.

Used by ‘Lamas’ in ritualistic &monastic dances.

SHEHNAI:::::AerophoneNORTH INDIA

A premier wind pipe of NorthIndia. A wooden tube narrownear the blowing end andgradually widening at the otherend, fitted with a metal bell,also called ‘pyala’. Containsseven finger holes. Blownthrough the double reed, whichis a vital part of the instrument.Constantly provided with adrone by a similar lookinginstrument, without any holes.The percussion accompanyinginstrument is Naqqara orDukkad. Considered anauspicious instrument andplayed in social and religiousceremonies. Also a NorthernIndian concert instrument.

SHENG KHENG:::::IdiophoneMANIPUR

An instrument consisting of twosaucer-shaped disks made ofhighly refined bronze. Thedisks are evenly depressed.Long colourful woollen cordsare attached on the outer(concave) side of the disks tohold them. The disks arefrontally clapped together toproduce a long and sustainedhumming note. Used inManipuri dances.

SINDHI SARANGI:::::ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

A bowed instrument.Resonator, finger board and

Sgna, Himachal Pradesh

Sheng Kheng, Manipur

Shehnai, North India

Saz-E-Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir

37

peg box carved out of a singleblock of wood. A parchedresonator with a semi-circularsound hole. Four playing gutstrings and twenty-twosympathetic steel strings. Bowheld in right hand while thestrings are stopped by left handfinger nails. Used by the‘Langa’ Community of westRajasthan as anaccompaniment to their songs.

SINGA:::::AerophoneORISSA

A buffalo horn with bamboomouthpiece. Held with bothhands and blown through abamboo mouth piece. Used bymendicants.

SIPHUNG:::::AerophoneASSAM

A bamboo tube having one endclosed by its natural node.One blowing and five fingerholes. Used as melodicaccompaniment in ‘Bodo’music and group dance.

SITAR:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A premier plucked lute ofNorth Indian classical music. Itcan be divided into two parts, agourd resonator covered witha thin wooden plank and along neck cum finger boardwith a rectangular peg box atthe top. Made of high quality‘Toon’ wood, the finger boardis attached with the gourd.There are five main playingstrings and two Chikari stringsof steel and brass, of different

gauge, tied to a string holderwith ivory teeth fixed at theextreme end of the gourd. Theother end of the strings are tiedto the tuning pegs at theopposite end. Nineteenmetallic ecliptic frets are tiedon the finger board, with thehelp of silk thread. Frets aremovable and can be adjustedaccording to the requirement.The main bridge mounted onthe sound board called ‘Tabli’,upon which main playingstrings rest the secondarybridge or upper nuts is justbelow the peg box. Thirteensympathetic steel strings runover a small bridge under themain bridge. Decorated withdelicate wooden carving overthe gourd. Played in a sittingposition. The main strings andChikari are plucked by wearinga wire plectrum in the forefinger of right hand. The tip ofthe left hand fingers are usedto stop or pull the strings forproducing melody. Used inclassical concerts all overNorth India as a soloinstrument.

SODU BURRA:::::ChordophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A slashed off gourd coveredwith wooden circular plank,fixed at the centre under abamboo tube. A single steelstring is fixed to the woodenattachment at one end and asingle peg at other end.Plucked by bare finger. Used by‘soothsayers’ of Maharashtraand neighbouring regions as adrone instrument.

Sri-Mandal, Rajasthan

Sitar, North India

38

SRI-MANDALRAJASTHAN

Round shaped metallic platesof different sizes hung on asteel frame with the help ofcotton cords, when struckproduce a variety of sounds,sometimes tuned to the notesof the octave. Mostly used intemples and other ceremonies.Also taken out in processions.

SURBAHAR:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A plucked fretted instrument, oflute category. Has a beautifullycarved peg box and a wide andshallow roundish resonatormade of a half cut gourd andcovered with a wooden plank.A long wide finger board hasnineteen frets tied upon it withsilk thread. Four main steelstrings and three drone strings,attached with ivory pins at thelower end stretched over thefinger board and tied to therespective pegs on the peg boxon the other side. Eleven steelsympathetic strings rest on asmall bridge and tied to therespective smaller pegs fittedon the side wall of the fingerboard. Widely used by theclassical musicians in NorthIndian Classical music concertsas solo instrument.

SURNAI:::::AerophoneHIMACHAL PRADESH

A wooden tube having straightbore and funnel shaped bell.Seven finger holes and onethumb hole. A metal nozzlewith double beating reed. Used

in auspicious, social andreligious ceremonies.

SURSINGAR:ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A plucked instrument. Soundbox and finger board scoopedout of a single log of wood.Peg box carved out into a birdmotif. A broad flat bridge madeof ivory, upon which six mainstrings and two drone stringsrest. Sound box covered by athin wooden plank.Electroplated metal sheetplaced on the broad fingerboard. An additional gourdresonator. Played with the helpof a plectrum. Used by theNorth Indian Classicalmusicians as a concertinstrument for soloperformance.

SURYA PIRAI:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A circular iron rim is attachedto a bent iron strip by a smalliron rod. One side is coveredwith skin. Bent part is tied onthe forehead of the player andplayed with two sticks, alongwith its pair called ‘ChandraPirai’. Used in temples of SouthIndia mainly in ‘Mariamman’temple.

SWARMANDAL:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A shallow wooden box withtwenty five strings tied to stringholding posts and tuning pins.Beads are inserted into thestrings for fine tuning. Strings

Surnai, Himachal Pradesh

Surbahar, North India

Sursingar, North India

39

are strummed by right handfingers. Used foraccompaniment in NorthIndian vocal music concerts. Anopen string of harp category.

TABLA:::::MembranophoneNORTH INDIA

The most popular percussioninstrument of North Indianclassical music. Consists oftwo drums - the ‘bayan’ or theleft made of plated copper andthe ‘dayan’ or the right made ofwood. The left is a smallspherical drum resembling theshape of the kettle drum. It isalmost the same height as theright but has a much widerplaying surface and a smallerbottom compared to the right.The playing surface of both thedrums is made of goat skin,stretched across the top. Anarrow membrane on theperiphery on top of the fullmembrane is called Kinara orChanti. The parchment calledpudi or chhavani is tied to aplaited strip called ‘gajra’ madeof four of five leather braces.Gajra is fixed to the mouth ofthe drum by means of leatherbraces called ‘baddhi’, which istied to another ring at thebottom of the instrument.There are sixteen holes or‘ghar’ to which the braces aretied at equal distance. In rightdrum there are eight tuningblocks or ‘gatta’ which aremoved up or down to vary thetension of the pudi. A blackpaste loaded in layers on theparchment, called syahi. Animportant rhythmicaccompaniment to solo andinstrumental music ensembles

as well as a solo performanceinstrument.

TAL::::: IdiophoneMAHARASHTRA

A pair of cymbals made ofbronze. These heavy and thickconical plates are attached withcotton cord and clapped facingeach other. Used by ‘Warkari’community of Maharashtra asan important accompanimentto their devotional songs.

TAMBOORA:::::ChordophoneSOUTH INDIA

A premier drone instrument ofcarnatic music. The entire bodyincluding resonator, long neckand peg box is made out of asingle block of wood,preferably jackwood. Hollowfrom inside. A thin woodenplank is pasted and nailed onthe resonator. Four mainstrings, three of steel and oneof coiled copper, rest on awooden bridge, stretchedparallel to the entire fingerboard and tied to theirrespective pegs at the top.Small beads are insertedthrough each string for fine-tuning. Plucked continuously byright hand fingers placing itvertically on the lap or on theground. A counterpart of‘Tanpura’ of North India.

TAMBOORI:::::ChordophoneKARNATAKA

An instrument made of wood inthree parts i.e. resonator,finger board and an elaboratepeg box. Contains four steelstrings. Beautifully decorated

Tabla, North India

Tamboori, Karnataka

40

Swarmandal, North India

with a wooden serpent motifon the top. Suspended from theshoulder. Plucked andstrummed by right hand fingers.Used as drone instrument bythe devotional singers andmendicants of Karnataka.

TAMUKKU:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

A bowl of bronze, covered withskin, tied with cotton cord withthe help of a hoop at the base.Small sound hole at thebottom. Slung around the neckand struck by two leatherstraps. Used in for publicannouncements. Also in folkmusic and dance.

TANDURA:::::ChordophoneRAJASTHAN

Almost shaped like a NorthIndian ‘Tanpura’. Whole bodymade of light wood. Roundresonator and long fingerboard (Dandi), both arecovered with thin woodenplank. Five metal strings aretied with hook at the bottomand connected to the pegs atthe upper end. The resonatorand fingerboard are beautifullydecorated with floral designs.A drone instrument used indevotional and traditionalsinging in Rajasthan.

TANGMURI:::::AerophoneMEGHALAYA

The instrument is made in threeparts: wooden tube havingseven holes, a cone shapedbell made of single piece ofwood and a mouth piece

having reed of locally availablegrass. The narrower end ofreed is fitted into a small thinmetal staple and inserted intomain wooden tube. Held withboth hands and blown throughthe reed. Used in religiousdance called “Ka Shad NongKrem” among Khasis of Jaintiahills and neighbouring regions.

TANPURA:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

The principal drone instrumentof North Indian classical music.Resonator made of gourd,joined to a long wooden fingerboard (Dand) and covered withlight wooden plank, calledTabli, on which the main bridgeis mounted. Four strings, threeof steel and one of brass, tiedto the string holder on the baseof the resonator, stretched overthe finger board and finally goto the respective pegs. Fourbeads are inserted in thestrings for finer tuning. Onesecondary bridge and a stringholder placed just before thepeg box. Decorated on the faceof the tabli and rear side of theresonator with fine inlay work.Held upright, placing resonatoron the ground or on lap. Thestrings are pluckedcontinuously with index andmiddle fingers of right hand,throughout the performance,providing basic sruti or svarato the performer.

TAPPETA GULLU:::::IdiophoneANDHRA PRADESH

Conical body, flat bottom, bigsound hole at centre, made of

Tarpu, Gujarat

41

tin. Wide face covered with tinsheet. While playing, theinstrument is tied at thewaistline and face is beatenwith the hands to the rhythm ofthe dance. Used by Tribals ofAndhra Pradesh.

TARPU::::: AerophoneGUJARAT

An elongated full length gourdfitted with two equal lengthbamboo reed pipes with amegaphone attached at theopen end. Single beating reed.Blown through the mouthpiece. Finger holes, three oneach pipe are manipulated byboth the hands. Used in groupdance and folk ensembles inGujarat and neighbouringregions.

TASA:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Skin covered shallow clayvessel. While playing, it issuspended from the neck orplaced on the ground. Beatenwith two sticks. Used in folkand traditional music and ‘Paik’dances of Orissa.

TASE:::::MembranophoneKARNATAKA

Shallow bronze bowl, with facecovered with parchment, slungfrom the neck and played withtwo thin wooden sticks withcloth wrapped around them.Used in folk ensembles,processions and auspiciousceremonies for rhythmicaccompaniment.

TASHA:::::MembranophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

A shallow clay vessel. The wideopening in covered with skin,tightened by leather tapes,through a hoop underneath.While playing, suspended fromthe neck, beaten with twosticks. Used in folk andtraditional music and dance.Sequences of Jammu andKashmir.

TASHA:::::MembranophoneNORTH INDIA

A shallow metallic bowl with aparched face. Used as asecondary drum in ensemblespaired with a larger drum. Thepair, jointly called Naqqara,forms a vital part of Naubat.

TAUS:ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A peacock shaped bowedinstrument, made of rosewood. Wooden resonator andshaft made separately and laterjoined together. One bridge,over which four main playingstrings pass and pass through;twenty five sympathetic stringsnineteen metallic frets. Playedwith a bow made of horse hair,by right hand, while the lefthand fingers stop the strings onfrets. Used by classicalmusicians of Northern India.Also used in Gurubani.

TEEHKI::::: IdiophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Three pieces of wood one longplate and two round smallpieces strung together in a ‘U’

Taus, North India

Tase, Karnataka

42

shaped iron ring. Struck face toface in continuous succession,by the hand’s up and downrhythmic movement. A tribalinstrument.

TENKAYA BURRA:::::ChordophoneANDHRA PRADESH

Skin covered halved coconutshell resonator. A long roundbamboo inserted into the shell.Two steel strings: A smallwooden bridge and secondarybridge (Upper nut). Played witha bow. Used by mendicants,and folk singers of AndhraPradesh.

THALI:::::IdiophoneGUJARAT

A thin circular plate of bellmetal with raised edges.Suspended in one hand byattached cord and struck with awooden stick. Used in folk andtraditional music.

THANTHI PANAI:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A pitcher of baked clay withskin covered opening. A steelstring passed through thecentre of the skin and taken outthrough the hole at the bottomand tied to a peg on a birdshaped wooden peg holder.Placed on the lap, the head isstruck by left hand while righthand fingers pluck the string. Acomposite instrument. Used byhill tribes and ‘Mallas’ ofTamilnadu.

THANTHONA:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A lathe finished wooden stick isattached with a woodenresonator with skin coveredbase. Two steel strings tied totwo parallel pegs, pluckedsimultaneously by index finger.Used by folk and traditionalsingers for drone and rhythmicaccompaniment.

THAPPU::::: MembranophoneKERALA

A circular iron frame drum.One side covered with skinand braced by jute cordthrough a hoop. Painted withgreen, yellow paint. Whileplaying, the instrument issuspended from the neck andbeaten by sticks. Used duringfestivals and religiousceremonies in Kerala.

THAVIL::::: MembranophoneKERALA

A large barrel-shaped bifacialdrum made of jack wood, bothopenings covered by layeredskin and tied over the rim withthe help of bamboo hoops andbraces. Played by hand andstick. The left face of the drumis loaded with paste frominside. Used in folk andtraditional music particularly inthe instrumental ensemblecalled ‘Periya Melam’, in theaccompaniment toNagaswaram, a double reedwind instrument.

THIMILA::::: MembranophoneKERALA

An hour glass shaped woodenshell covered with skin.

Thappu, Kerala

43

Thimila, Kerala

Suspended from the waist.Upper side beaten by bothhands. One of thePanchavadyam instruments.

THISKI:::::IdiophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Two wooden bars, attachedwith ‘U’ shaped thick wirediagonally. While playing it isheld by the wire and moved inan up and down rhythmicaction. The two wooden barsclapped together. A clapperused by south eastern tribes ofMadhya Pradesh.

THUN CHEN::::: AerophoneLADDAKH

A long brass trumpet, with widebell shaped opening.Decorated with ornamentalrings at intervals. A small discshaped mouth rest withblowing hole. Used by ‘Lamas’.Usually played in pair.

TIKARA:::::MembranophoneORISSA

Two medium sized roundishearthen bowls, covered withhide, put in such a manner thatthe covers are much higherthan the opening. Left unit hasa black paste loaded frominside. While playing theinstrument is placed on theground and beaten with twowooden sticks. Used in folkand traditional music ofOrissa.

TIMKI::::: MembranophoneMADHYA PRADESH

Two medium sized bakedearthen vessels. Parchment

stretched over the opening,directly laced through a hoopat the bottom. Played with twosticks. Used in tribal dance andmusic.

TIPPANI:::::IdiophoneGUJARAT

A pair of bamboo sticks, flatwooden blocks attached at thebottom. Used in ‘Tippani’dance by tapping them on thefloor to the rhythmic beat ofdance.

TIRHIO:::::AerophoneBIHAR

A thick walled cylindrical tubewith one end closed by naturalbamboo knot. Six finger holesand a blowing hole. Used bySanthal tribes, also used byshepherds.

TIRIHO:::::AerophoneBIHAR

A bamboo tube with one endopen and other closed bynode. One blowing and sixfinger holes. Held transverseand blown through the hole.Used by shepherds and also by‘Santhal’ tribes of Bihar andneighbouring regions.

TIRUCHINNAM:::::AerophoneTAMILNADU

A pair of thin brass trumpetswith funnel shaped openingsand integrated mouth piece.Used in temple festivities andon the occasion of holi. Also intraditional music.

Thun Chen, Laddakh

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Thiski, Madhya Pradesh

TOK-DU-TRENG:::::ChordophoneTRIPURA

A drone cum rhythmicaccompaniment. A struckinstrument made of bamboo. Acoconut with slashed offmouth, loosely attached to thelower end. Two strings piercedthrough the coconut stretchedparallel and finally tied to theupper end by the pegs. Struckby a long piece of thick wood.A tribal instrument of WestTripura.

TOKKA::::: IdiophoneASSAM

A bamboo is cut in a mannerkeeping knots at both the ends.One side is split into halfkeeping the other end intact.Thus a spring like action at thesplit arms is initiated. Whenplayed both the arms of thebamboo are struck together.Essentially a rhythm instrument.

TOOTI::::: AerophoneJAMMU AND KASHMIR

Cylindrical wooden tube andintegrated wooden bellcovered with metal stripconical bore. Seven fingerholes. Two additional holes.Palm leaf made double beatingreed. Blown through the reed.Used in folk theatre and onreligious and ceremonialoccasions.

TOYILA::::: ChordophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A drone instrument withmedium sized gourd coveredwith skin and attached with abamboo. A single steel string,

tied to a peg at upper end,rhythmically plucked with bareindex finger. A group of four orfive jingle bells also tied withbamboo. Used by ‘JhadiaPayars’ community of AndhraPradesh for accompaniment.

TUILA: ChordophoneORISSA

A half sliced gourd resonatortied loosely with a bamboostick. A cotton cord (string)attached to one end of the stickand tied through the other end.While playing, the gourd isplaced against the chest andthe string is plucked by righthand. A rare instrument usedby ‘Bhumija’ community ofOrissa for vocalaccompaniment.

TUMBI::::: ChordophonePUNJAB

A small instrument resemblingan ‘Ektara’. A tiny resonatorcovered with parchment. Abouttwo feet long wooden stick ispierced in to the resonator. Asingle string is tied to the lowerextended part of the stick at thebase of the resonator andwound around the peg at theupper end of the stick. It is heldwith one hand and plucked bythe same hands finger. Used indevotional music.

TUMKI::::: MembranophoneORISSA

A clay bowl. Skin covered facetightened with the help ofleather straps. Slung from theneck, beaten with woodensticks. Used in ‘Dalkhai’ dance.

Tumbi, Punjab

Tuila, Orissa

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Vichitra Veena, North India

TUNGBANK:::::ChordophoneSIKKIM

A plucked instrument. The longfinger board and the deepround resonator made of asingle piece of soft wood.Resonator is covered withparchment. Three strings, tiedto a hook on one end andconnected to the pegs onanother end. Played withwooden plectrum. Used as anaccompaniment to music anddance of Sikkim.

TUNGDARBONG:::::MembranophoneSIKKIM

A small bifacial cylindricalshaped drum, made of locallyavailable soft wood. Both facesare covered with goat skin andlaced with leather strips. Slungwith the neck and played byboth hands. Used in tantrikrituals of Sikkim.

TUNTUNE:::::ChordophoneMAHARASHTRA

Cylindrical metal resonatorwith an open top and basecovered with skin attached tothe lower end of a bambooshaft. Only one steel stringwhich passes through the skinand tied to the peg and theupper end of the bamboo shaft.Held in one hand and pluckedby index finger. Used bymendicants and village bards.

TURHI::::: AerophoneORISSA

Three separate tubular parts ofbrass inserted into each other.Mouthpiece at extreme end,

held in both hands and blown.Used in temple music, also intraditional dances.

TURHI::::: AerophoneRAJASTHAN

A long trumpet of bronze,made in two parts and with afunnel shaped opening. Anelongated mouthpiece. Used intemple services, processionsetc.

UDUKAI::::: MembranophoneTAMILNADU

An hour glass shaped woodendrum with hooped membranecovers. A cotton tape is woundaround the middle portion.Held in left hand and beaten byother. Used in ‘Villuppattu’ and‘Naiyandi Melam’performances.

UDUKKAI:::::MembranophoneTAMILNADU

An hour glass shaped drum ofbronze with hooped membranecovers. An additional cordwound around the waist. Heldin left hand and beaten by righthand. Used in ‘Villuppattu’ and‘Naiyandi Melam’performances.

VEENA::::: ChordophoneSOUTH INDIA

A principal plucked instrumentof carnatic music of lutecategory. Made of Jackwood.Deep and round resonator, flatfaced finger board scooped outfrom the same log of woodand called ‘Ek Dandi Veena’.The decorative peg box iscarved in the shape of snakecalled ‘Vyali’. Four main metal

Veena, South India

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strings and three drone strings.Two bridges – one main andone secondary. Twenty fourmetal frets, fitted on the fingerboard by means of wax. Apopular instrument of SouthIndian classical music.

VENU::::: AerophoneGUJARAT

A colourfully painted, folkinstrument, made of longbamboo tube. Has threesegments; two flutes and onemetal connector. Four fingerholes and a fipple hole oneach flute. Blown from theembouchure. Used byshepherds and cowherds ofGujarat.

VENU::::: AerophoneGUJARAT

A pair of flipped flutes,connected with cylindricalmetal connector. Four fingerholes and a fipple hole oneach flute. Both the flutes areblown simultaneously througha single blowing hole. Used bycowherds of Gujarat. Paintedcolourfully.

VICHITRA VEENA:::::ChordophoneNORTH INDIA

A long wooden shaft rests ontwo huge resonators, whichare made of gourd, of equaldiameter and height. Five main,three drone and elevensympathetic strings. Threebridges, one main, onesecondary and a small bridgefor sympathetic strings. Playedwith plectrums worn on theright hand fingers and stoppedby glass or stone piece, held in

left hand. Used in North Indianclassical style of music. Alsocalled Batta Been.

VILKOTTI YAZH:::::ChordophoneTAMILNADU

A replica of an old musicalinstrument. A crescent shapedhollow wooden body. Sevenwooden pegs at the tail inwhich seven steel strings aretied. As seen in ancientsculptures perhaps, theinstrument was strummed byfingers, probably for providingmelodic support.

VILLU::::: IdiophoneKERALA

A bow shaped instrument madefrom the blade of coconutpalm. A thin bamboo stick, actsas the vibrating string, heldbetween the slits in the twoends. While playing held in lefthand and struck by stick.Associated with ‘Onam’festival. Used in folk andtraditional music.

VILLU::::: IdiophoneANDHRA PRADESH

A composite instrument of twoparts; A huge bow made ofwood with gut string attachedto both ends and a pitchermade of baked clay. The bow iscovered with a red cloth. Sixsmall ‘jingle bells’ are tied withthe cloth. The pitcher iscovered with a white cloth andrests on a ring. While playing,the bow is kept on the openmouth of the pitcher, which actsas a resonator and struck bytwo heavy sticks made ofwood. Occasionally struck by

Vikotti Yazh, Tamilnadu

Yazh, South India

Villu, Andhra Pradesh

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two light sticks fitted with twolittle metal discs for jinglingsound. An instrument used innarrative forms. A similarinstrument is used in TamilNadu, also called Villu. Alsomany other regional versionsare available of this instrumentwith minor difference.

VINAKUNJU::::: ChordophoneTAMILNADU

Pear shaped resonator coveredwith skin, open from back. Anelongated finger board. Onlyone string of fibre. Played witha bow. Used by ‘Pulluvans’ ofMalabar.

YAZH::::: ChordophoneSOUTH INDIA

An arch-shaped harp. A replicaof the instrument found inAmravati and SanchiSculptures. An arched arm isattached to a rectangular andhollow sound box. Forty eightstrings are connected toindividual pins on theunderside of the sound boxand tied to the pegs on thearch. Long wooden mainbridge on the sound box and adiagonal secondary bridge atthe upper end. Under the mainstrings, there are seven stringsattached to the pegs and fixedto the supporting woodenframe. This instrument was tobe placed in a vertical positionon the lap and played with thefingers.

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