The origin of this tiny little percussion instrument remains a mystery, though there is little doubt that trails of its origin take us way back to the silk route, having travelled to Europe sometime around the 13th century. It's presence in India spreads across the South, in as much as Assam in the East and Rajasthan in the West. The art of its making is as stunning as the art of its playing, let aside its amazing distinctive twang.CLICK HERE TO LISTEN & LEARN

Indias musical tradition dates back to the Indus valley civilization, around 3000 BC and one can trace its representation in the Vedas (ancient scriptures) referred to as sangeet sungeet - the three art forms of vocal, instrumental and dance, where taal (rhythm) and raag (melody) remain to this day the very essence of music and instrumentation.

In fact, way back between 200 BC and 200 AD an ancient system natya shastra written by the sage Bharat Muni classified musical instruments into the categories of string, wind and percussion.

Varied instrumentation forms evolved across India thereafter, with their own traditional renditions and like the artist and artisan, are on the verge of final extinction. While these unusual instruments are playable, they come in their original semi crude form, just the way they have been turned by hand in villages, for village festivals over centuries.

Your hand may help revive and perhaps sustain the very birth of music.