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| DHOLAK |
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Home / Hindu Culture / Music / Musical Instrument |
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Dholak is a very popular folk drum of northern India. It is barrel
shaped with a simple membrane on the right hand side; basically it
is just a smaller version of the dhol. The left hand is also a
single membrane with a special application on the inner surface.
This application is a mixture of tar, clay and sand (dholak masala)
which lowers the pitch and provides a well defined tone. There are
two ways of tightening the dholak. Sometimes they are laced with
rope, in which case, a series of metal rings are pulled to tighten
the instrument. Sometimes metal turnbuckles are employed. It is said
that this instrument used to occupy a position of considerable
prestige. Today it is merely relegated to filmi and folk music. |
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