1. TABLA - the high drum

2. DAYA - the bass drum: commonly known as a set of TABLAS. Capable of a myriad of different sounds and tonal combinations, these are the most popular drums of North Indian classical music.

3. EKTAR - literally "one string". This two string drone instrument is used to accompany singers in the folk traditions of many regions of India. Inaddition to plucking the strings, the skin head is also struck like a drum to provide rhythm accompaniment.

4. GUNGAROO - these ankle bells add to the orchestration as a singer plucks and beats his ektar, creating a kind of one-man-band effect. Classical dancers use a much heavier set of gungaroos with many more bells to create startling rythmic counterpoints to the slapping of their feet against the floor.

5. DOTAR - a folk instrument much like it's classical cousin, the sarode, and not unlike it's western relative, the fretless banjo. Plucked with a coconut shell pick, the strings are depressed with the fingernails of the left hand, rather than the finger pads as in a guitar or violin. the finger nail becomes like the slide on a slide guitar. My dotar has an electric pickup built into the bridge, which is normally made of bone.

6. CHIMTAS - combination rhythm instrument fire tongs, and weapon used by Sadhus (wandering mendicants all over India)

7. HARMONIUM - portable pump organ, introduced to India by the missionaries, this little reed organ has become one of India's most popular instruments, perfect for 2 finger typists like myself - the left hand pumps the bellows while the right hand plays the keys.

8. KANJIRA - small frame drum. Used by both folk and classical musicians. This one has a goat skin head, but usually the head is made from a lizard skin.

9. KARTALS - finger cymbals. Great for making a lot of noise while singing Kirtan (chanting the names of God).

10. SMALLER KARTALS - for the quieter moments.

11. ANOTHER DOTAR

12. GUBGUBBI (also known as Khammak) - an inverted bongo drum with two gut strings attached from the inside of the hide to the membrane on a small cup. You put the bongo drum under your arm, pull on the cup and pluck the strungs. This is the most popular instrument of the Bauls of Bengal. It's also called "anandalahari" - waves of bliss.

13. GOPICHAND - this one strung instrument allows you to change the pitch by squeezing the bamboo sides. The tighter you squeeze, the lower the note gets, until the instrument breaks and you have to get a new one at the corner gopichand store

14. DHOLAK - 2 headed barrel shaped drum popular in all sorts of Indian folk music.