Instruments at the Museum

Gopi Yantra

The gopi yantra (or gopi jantra) is a single-string Indian harp popular among the Baul folk singers of West Bengal. The gopi yantra has been referred to as a pulling drum, because under the membrane or skin, in the center, is interlocked the single string which is plucked and this string transfers its oscillations to the skin. This skin or head of the drum where pierced is done in such a way that the string is attached to a small piece of wood or metal for reinforcement and to prevent it from passing all the way through the skin. The drum housing or shell can either be a gourd or coconut shell or a ceramic, brass or other metal container, or a hollowed wood container. There are two pliable bamboo pieces pried apart which form the sides of the instrument, and these when pressed are used for creating variable tension in the string and consequently variation in sound. These forked bamboo stems are fixed to the resonator on the outside of the shell or drum. The two bamboo stems are joined at the top (and may actually constitute one piece of split bamboo joined at the node). This top piece will have inserted into it (from the side) a tuning peg where the string is joined and for tightening the string, which can be a steel wire string.