APANG

APANG in Rajasthan

Material: Wood, metal, parchment, Gourd Shells, Leather, Goat Skin, Bamboo, Metal

A wooden shaft, bolted with hollow metal cylindrical resonator at one end. The resonator is open on top and covered with skin at the bottom. Only one steel string. Held in one hand. Plucked with ndex finger. Used by village bards and mendicants. An ancient musical instrument, Bhapang is said to have been inspired by Lord’s Shiva’s instrument, Damroo. This single stringed percussion instrument is made of hollow shells of dried pumpkins (Tumbi) with the top and bottom of the shell slashed away. The bottom portion is covered by a flexible piece of leather like goat skin. The centre is punctured and a string is passed through the leather piece to the other end, where a handle (made of bamboo) is tied to it. Five small metal bells are attached to the handle. Bhapang is played by positioning it between the armpit. Its string is controlled by the left hand of the player, who then plucks on it with a plectrum with his right hand. Stretching and relaxing the string against the taut leather allows to modify the sound and pitch of the instrument. Often used by the Bhat community of Rajasthan while singing Marwari folk songs. It is believed that Bhapang was invented by saint Ismail Nath Jogi.