Neha Karra
While we all know of shehnai, dholak and harmonium as the popular musical instruments played at Indian weddings, here are a few more musical instruments that are a part of the rituals and celebrations across India...
A close cousin of the shehnai, the Kali is a wind instrument played during wedding processions in Assam. It has nearly six to seven holes in its body and is made of bamboo, weed or grass.
Usually of Himalayan origin, the Naumati Baja is a collection of nine traditional instruments played during Sikkimese weddings. The nine instruments consist of drums, trumpets and cymbals of varying sizes known by different names, each of them emitting a different intensity and bass.
The mau tawtawrawt is a trumpet-like instrument played during Mizo weddings. It is made using different-sized bamboo tubes, each inserted into the other until the last tube becomes the size of a forefinger.
Made of hardwood of the neem tree, the dotara is a two-stringed instrument played during Bengali weddings. It has a roundish sound box and is carved in the shape of a peacock or a swan head and is usually played using the strings.
The sarangi is a short-necked, three-stringed instrument played in Rajasthani weddings. It is carved out of cedar wood and is made of goat skin, leather and brass and is two feet in height.
Also known as the ‘double-sided barrel drum’, the dhol played in Punjabi weddings is comparatively larger and produces music of a larger bass. A stick known as the dagga is used to generate music by hitting the instrument's body.
The nadaswaram is a wind instrument while the Thavil is a barrel-shaped instrument shaped like a drum both of which are played together at Telugu weddings. The players wear caps made of rice flour while playing the Thavil. While the Nadaswaram is similar to Shehnai, unlike the Shehnai it has a larger base.
Primarily played in Tamil and Malayali weddings, the tharai is a wind instrument played along with a thapattai. It is usually hung by a cloth strapped around the player's neck.
Also known as manjira, the ginni are a pair of tiny cymbals attached by a common string tapped together to produce a sound. It is usually a part of Odia folklore, Sambalpuri dance songs and Odia weddings.
Usually played as a sign of welcome during Marathi weddings, the sanai is a reed instrument that is played along with a Chaughade. The artists playing the sanai and the chaughade are known as ‘Turari’ artists.
A part of both Goan Saraswat and Christian weddings, the ghumat is an earthen-baked pitcher and is usually covered with monitor lizard skin on both ends. The sound is generated softly after beating the lizard's skin with forefingers.