![]() It may not have many superstar players because it is primarily a folk instrument played at festivals and for entertainment. Today, the ravanhatha is antiquated but you’ll still find some use in musical families of West India, especially Gujarat and Rajasthan. ![]() It is strung with 1-4 strings and played with a bow made from horse hair. This bowed instrument is constructed using a halved coconut shell and a goatskin soundboard attached to a long bamboo neck. Without going too deep into the family tree, it is clear that it is a very ancient instrument. The Ravanhatha is said to be the ancestor of the rabab, which is said to be the ancestor of the violin. ![]() You’ve probably heard it in action in the iconic hook of Missy Elliott’s Get Ur Freak On or Punjabi MC’s Mundian Toh Back Ke Rahi. It has one paltry metal string attached from the bridge to the tuning peg that is plucked with the finger, often used as accompaniment by a folk singer. A tumbi is made from a gourd shell and a wood stick. It is a high-pitched single-string instrument that is best known for its role in folk genres like ‘bhangra’ that has gained traction in the West. The Tumbi, or toomba, is a has its roots in Punjab, North India.
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