SOUVIK CHAKRABORTY
EKTARA
ONE STRING FOR THE DIVINE CONNECTION
Ektara is one stringed instrument that is attached to either a coconut shell or a hollow wooden resonator at the base . The neck of an Ektara can vary based on the kind of “ make ” and the use of frets . This part of the Ektara can be made through a split bamboo stick or some other materials that are either synthetic or organic . This kind of instrument generates sound through the vibration of the string .
The Ektara is known by various names across the regions where it is played . Some musicians will love to call it a Gopi yantram some will simply call it tuntuna or rumba . Ektara can be played through the process of plucking and pinching the strings , but another way of playing the Ektara is also through a bow . The melodies vary in their character and it is usually the preference of the artist and the songs that determine the type of Ektara that is played . Many Baul would typically use a ghungroo on their feet to accompany the sound of the Ektara . The world that is created through the synergy of these two kinds of sounds , creates euphoria in the audience .
Ektara is the sound of soil . The music emanates from the soul of the interiors of Bengal , where the cosmopolitan will be surprised to find the simple joys of life through the philosophies in the songs and the melodies of the lyrics . The sound is thus attributed to the likes of Bauls , tapasvis , and ardent believers of “ love above all ”. This is also a kind of music that unites both Bangladesh and India . The Bauls of both countries represent a cultural crucible where many other music and stories have amalgamated into philosophies that are worth learning for a lifetime . Today , it is just not limited to wandering minstrels of Bengal . Folk songs with Ektara as an accompaniment have found a place in various regions of the country . One can go up north or to the western parts of the country , to find various musicians performing through time immemorial .
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