The Instruments of South Asia
From clay water pots to fire tongs, South Asian folk and devotional music has always found rhythm and melody in everyday objects — each instrument carrying its own story of ritual, meditation, and street-corner performance.
Hassan
Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Hassan is a multi-instrumentalist who has gathered and actively plays a collection of 57 musical instruments from across the globe. Whether busking at Seattle's Pike Place Market or volunteering his music at local hospices, he brings diverse global sounds and heartfelt resonance to every space he plays.
Matka (Ghara)
In its earliest days, the matka (also called ghara or ghatam) was simply a clay pot used to store water — made entirely from sustainable, earthen soil. Over time, musicians discovered its percussive potential: struck with the hands and fingers, the pot's body, neck, and rim each ring out a different tone.
Tumba
The tumba is a drone string instrument used in the Sufi music traditions of Asia, valued for its deep, resonant bass and its role in inner meditation. Its steady, humming tone helps anchor devotional singing and draw both player and listener inward.
Tumbi
A small, high-pitched single-string instrument, the tumbi is used in the Sufi music traditions of Asia, plucked with a quick flick of the index finger. Its bright, twanging voice has made it one of the most recognizable sounds of Punjabi folk music.
Been
The been is the instrument long used by South Asian snake charmers. Made from a dried gourd with two reed pipes, it's played with continuous circular breathing to produce the hypnotic, unbroken melody that has become synonymous with snake charming across the region.
Chimta
Originally used to cook roti and bread over an open flame, the chimta is also a beloved musical instrument of South Asian folk music. Small metal jingles line its sides, so home cooking tongs became a rhythm-keeper for Punjabi folk songs and Sikh devotional kirtan.
Khartal
The khartal is a pair of hand-held wooden clappers used for beats in the Sufi music traditions of Asia. One of the oldest and simplest percussion instruments in South Asia, it's clapped together at speed to create fast, intricate rhythms behind devotional and folk singing.
Duff
The duff is a round, hand-held frame drum used for beats across South Asian and wider Islamic musical traditions. Played by tapping and striking the stretched skin with the fingers and palm, it keeps the pulse steady in folk, devotional, and celebratory music alike.
Thudd
The thudd is a hand drum built from wood and stretched leather, producing rhythm straight out of these two simple, natural materials. Its deep, grounded tone gives folk ensembles the low-end pulse that other instruments play against.
Dugdugi (Damaru)
The dugdugi, also known as the damaru, is a small two-headed hand drum twisted rhythmically so its dangling beads strike each drumhead. Over time, the dugdugi evolved primarily into an instrument of street performers, wandering mendicants, and traveling folk entertainers, becoming a familiar sound of South Asian street life.
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