Ektara

This article is about a modern one-stringed musical instrument. For a medieval one-stringed musical instrument, see eka-tantri vina. For the rural municipality in Nepal, see Ekdara.
Ektara played by Baul Sufis in Bangladesh

The ektara (Bengali: একতারা, Hindi: एकतारा, Urdu: اِک تارا, Nepali: एकतारे, Punjabi: ਇਕ ਤਾਰਾ, Tamil: எக்டரா; literally 'one-string', also called actara, iktar, ektar, Sindhi: يڪتارو, yaktaro, gopichand, gopichant, golki Nepali: गोल्, gopijiantra, tun tuna) is a one-stringed musical instrument used in the traditional music of the Indian subcontinent,[1] and used in modern-day music of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.[1]

Two-stringed versions are called dotara (two strings), a name which also applies to other instruments.

In origin, the ektara was a regular string instrument of wandering bards and minstrels and is plucked with one finger. The ektara is a drone lute consisting of a gourd resonator covered with skin, through which a bamboo neck is inserted. Ektara is commonly played by folk singers, bauls, and Bengali fakirs (Muslim devotees).[2] It is used in parts of India and Nepal today by Yogis and wandering holy men to accompany their singing and prayers. In Nepal, the instrument accompanies the singing of the Ramayana and Mahabharata.[3]

  1. ^ a b Dilip Ranjan Barthakur (2003). The Music and Musical Instruments of North Eastern India. Mittal Publications. pp. 129–. ISBN 978-81-7099-881-5.
  2. ^ https://en.banglapedia.org/index.php/Ektara
  3. ^ Kadel, Ram Prasad (2007). Musical Instruments of Nepal. Katmandu, Nepal: Nepali Folk Instrument Museum. pp. 220, 229. ISBN 978-9994688302.