Bhankora

The bhankora (plural: bhankore) is a type of made of copper that is prominently used in the folk music of Uttarakhand in India, especially in the Garhwal region.^[1] The instrument is aerophonic and used in religious Garhwal folk dramas, most notably the Pandav Lila and Nanda Devi Raj Jat. The instrument is played only by upper class Garhwalis during the Naubat, Dhanyal, and Dev Jatra types of religious ritual performances. The bhankora is made of copper and is about 36 inches long and about 3 inches in diameter; it creates a sweet melodious sound and tone.^[2]

Bhankora or bhonkara is Uttarakhand's native musical instrument. This is handmade in copper metal by local Tamta artisans of Uttarakhand traditionally. The size of Bhankora varies from region to region. However traditionally the ideal height of full sized bhankora is supposed to be from ground till the ears of a normal sized person. Bhankora an Aero Phonic or Wind Musical Instrument in Garhwali Folk Drama, Folk Rituals, Community ideas and Traditional Plays from Chamoli Garhwal, North India, South Asia

The full sized version of this instrument is played during ceremonial prayers at temples, and at the Pandav Lila, a ritual re-enactment of episodes from the Mahabharata in the Garhwal region.^[3]

References

1. Fiol, Stefan (11 September 2017). Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 9780252099786 – via Google Books.
2. . bedupako.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
3. Alter, Andrew (1 April 2011). "Controlling Time in Epic Performances: An Examination of Mahābhārata Performance in the Central Himalayas and Indonesia.Bhankora an Aero Phonic or Wind Musical Instrument in Garhwali Folk Drama, Folk Rituals, Community Theaters and Traditional Plays from Chamoli Garhwal, North India, South Asia". Ethnomusicology Forum. 20 (1): 57–78. doi:10.1080/17411912.2011.549362. S2CID 193246028.