[Yashodhara]

Yesterday I bought an instrument in the one world shop, and now I need to know what it actually is, where it is from and how it is to be used. The two sellers could not decide whether it was originally from Morocco or from India. The instrument looks a bit like a tambourine, has skin on both sides though. Inside there must be little pearls/stones/balls or something that create a wind/water-like sound when you move the instrument. I don't even know if it is meant to be played with the hands (like a drum or tambourine) although there are henna applications on it that might implicate that. Maybe it just has to be moved the right way in order to create sound? I really hope you can help me out here.

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[priya]

I could be very wrong here, but I think it looks Moroccan.  The intricate work on the side panels doesn't look Indian

Whatever it is Yash, it's very beautiful - I would've been tempted to buy it as well, even if I didn't know what it was.  Girls will be girls, yes??

[torryquine]

priya, on Feb 2 2007, 09:46 AM, said:

I could be very wrong here, but I think it looks Moroccan.  The intricate work on the side panels doesn't look Indian

Whatever it is Yash, it's very beautiful - I would've been tempted to buy it as well, even if I didn't know what it was.  Girls will be girls, yes??

I'm inclined to agree.  The hand motif looks like a "hand of Fatima" - very common in North African art.

[jyotirmoy]

I tend to agree. I haven't seen this instrument in India but again there are so many tribal instruments.

[H.Nick]

I think it is more modern than tribal, with the balls inside. Could still have been made in Morrocco, though, of course.

I've seen this sort of thing used by the sort of percussionists that have a table or two full of peculiar things (or ordinary things to play in peculiar ways!) and the Indian percussionist Sivamani uses something like this.

It's a lovely sound!

This is certainly a very beautiful one.

With this in one hand and a rainstick in the other, you'll be dreaming of mountain streams and oceans

[Yashodhara]

Thanks a lot for your replies and knowledgeable hints! "The Hand of Fatima", I believe your observation must be right, torryquine. Somehow I did not recognize it as such, maybe because Iranians tend to have other religious tokens (e.g. calligraphy). So I think the "trace" is leading to Morocco more than India, I shall do some more research.
Nick, you mention you have seen the Indian percussionist Sivamani using something similar, so would you be able to tell me how this instrument is actually played? I tend to believe that merely shaking it does the trick, the little things inside make quite a loud sound like that. Then again it might have to be used like a drum, but I am unsure and don't want to break it.

Anyway, the sound is fascinating and soothing (I think it needs a more trained hand though to really control it    ), and yes I find myself dreaming of a cool mountain breeze and clear mountain streams ...

Edited by Yashodhara, 03 February 2007 - 07:13 PM.

[H.Nick]

As I saw him do it... just holding it and gently tilting from side to side.

[Yashodhara]

That's what I thought. Thank you for confirming.