Krsna Kirtana Songs
est. 2001 www.kksongs.org
Khomok, also known as the gubi or anada lahari,
is a rhythmic instrument common to the Bauls of
Bengal. This is the most unique instrument, where it has a string and a drum
head, yet it neither serves as a melodic or membranous percussion function. The
khomok is a essentially a
bongo (a wooden drum with skin on end and open on the other) with a gut or
nylon string attached through the center of the skin. The string is woven
through a brass dowel. The khomok is played by taking
the drum and placing it underneath the arm of the stronger hand (i.e. right
armpit for the right hand people). The weaker hand (left hand for right handed
people) grabs the brass dowel and pulls it. The stronger hand (right hand)
plucks the string via a wooden plectrum. The unique thing about this instrument
is that tension of the string is constantly adjusted.
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