Gopīyantra

Indian

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Gopīyantra, Wood and skin, Indian

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Bauls, mystic minstrels of Bengal, play this instrument by plucking the single string. By squeezing the sides of the instrument, they can adjust the tension of the skin and alter the pitch allowing for vibrant melodic shifts within exuberant rhythmic patterns. Single stringed instruments like this one have many names throughout North East India, Bengal, and Bangladesh (gubgubi, gubgubā, gopī-chānd, khamak, ānanda laharī, and lāo- ṭokārī). As a family they are commonly referred to as ektārā, ek meaning one and tārā meaning string. This particular gopī-yantra was donated by Raja Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore in the late 19th century.