Handmade in India

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
MUSICAL AND DANCE are an integral part of tribal life.Drums are an
intrinsic part of all celebrations,be it tribal festivals like karma,Jitia and
Sarhul,or even Christmas carols sung by a tribal laity.The Gorayat Mahli
and Ghasi tribes make musical instruments,predominantly a variety of
drums that accompany weddings and other tribal celebrations.The body of
the drum,called kholi,is made by the ironsmith,and the animal hide or
chamra is sourced from local markets.Hides from different animals are
used for different kinds of drums:for instance,a nagada is made of buffalo
hide,while a dholak is made of cowhide.The skill of the drum maker lies in
his ability to treat the raw hide properly,as well as layer the inside of the
kholi with a paste of incense,mustard oil and jaggery.This paste aids in the
refraction of sound waves and the amplification of sound.These drums are
made predominantly for the local markets,though the demand is
dwindling.As more tribals come into the orbit of modernity,practices like
community dancing are changing form.Sales depend on regional and
national fairs and on the middlemen who sell the drums in places that the
craftsmen cannot afford to travel to.
Production Clusters
Ranchi district:
Ranchi
Soso village
Products
Nagada-kettle drums
of the old
naubat,traditional
ensemble,of nine
instruments,played
with sticks.
Dholak-barrel-shaped
side drum
Dhamsa-drum
Dhag-a large drum
Tasa-copper bowl
covered with skin
Mandar-a barrelshaped
drum peculiar
to Santhali music
Tools
Churi-a sharp blade
like tool to shave the
hair from the animal
skin
Sil patthar-a stone
used to sharpen the
churi
Aari-a pointed iron
rod to puncture and
make holes in the
animal skin
Dhora-a device used
to twinde leather
thongs
Tipori,Khari-wooden
sticks,used to play the
musical instruments