TAMBURA, OR TAMPURA - Aga Khan Museum
Aga Khan Development Network
 
The Aga Khan Museum: Wood and Lacquer - Mughal, circa 1800  Place your mouse over the image
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Classification
Wood and Lacquer

Object name
Tambura, Or Tampura

Geography
India

Period
Mughal, circa 1800

Dynasty
Mughal

Materials and technique
Teak wood, a calabash, metal and bone

Dimensions
length 126 cm

Accession number
AKM00700

Description

The tambura is a long-necked four-string plucked drone lute, traditional in both northern and southern India, and is found both in art and in classical music. The example here is certainly a northern instrument, and is comparable to a sitar (lit., “three strings” in Persian), with a three-part resonator including a gourd or calabash. The tambura is used by both women and men, but men's instruments tend to be over 130 centimetres long. It provides the drone, but can also be plucked in a regular ostinato pattern, providing a rhythmic background. The special drone effect comes from the flat bridge or jawari.

Other similar artefacts

21 pieces found

BEAM-WITH-QURANIC-INSCRIPTIONPOLYCHROME-BEAMBEAM-WITH-QURANIC-INSCRIPTIONSCRIBES-CABINETPANEL-WITH-VERSES-BY-HAFIZBEGGARS-BOWL-KASHKULBOWPEN-BOXBEAM-WITH-QURANIC-INSCRIPTIONPOLYCHROME-DOORSDOORS-WITH-GEOMETRIC-AND-FLORAL-MOTIVESCORBELSCORBELSBeamBEAMBEAMTRIANGULAR-CEILING-PANEL-WITH-INTERLACING-GEOMETRIC-DESIGNSBeamRababTambourines-Daff-and-Naqqar-DrumsViolin-small-lutes-and-Rabab-or-Rewap