Object: Instrument

E/1956/3/1
Ravanahatha (or Ravanhatta or Rawanhatho)
Hindu
India
ca. 1950s
Materials: Wood, coconut shell, mother of pearl, leather

This fiddle-like instrument from India is called a Ravanahatha (or Ravanhatta or Rawanhatho). It is has a wooden body and a small coconut resonator covered in skin. There is one melody string made from horsehair, a single metal drone string and a number of sympathetic strings. The following is a video showing a Ravanahatha being played.

According to legend, this instrument was first created by the mythological figure Ravana, the primary villain in the Hindu legend Ramayana. In the legend Ravana attempted to move Mount Kailash, the home of the Hindu deity Shiva, from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka, in order to please his mother. In the process he angers Shiva and is briefly tortured by the deity. Ravana then prays for mercy and is released. In order to thank Shiva for sparing his life Ravana decided to sing for the god. To accompany his song of praise, Ravana magically creates a musical instrument, the Ravanahatha, out of one of his arms and some of his hair. Shiva is so impressed by the performance that he grants Ravana immortality. Ravanahatha are still played today and are popular with the Bhopa priest singers of Rajasthan.

Other examples of Ravanahatha can be found in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Nadsadhna Institute for Indian Music and Meditation, and others. [Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud]

Object: Ivory Figurine

E/1954/18/9
Ivory Carving of Man
Ca. 1920s-1940s
India
Materials: Ivory and black teak wood

Ivory is a precious raw material that is used in many applications, including miniature statues and large intricate figures. Ivory comes from animals in the family Elephantidae and it is harvested from the tusks of this species. Ivory tusks are the only incisors that this species posses.  The object above is from southern India, and it may be a chess piece known as a rook. Three countries primarily contribute to the ivory industry: Japan, China, and India. Ivory carving dates back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, as well as prehistoric Inuit, even though they use walrus ivory. These traditions are usually carried on through the families and are considered to be ancient.

Ivory does not just come from elephants but various animals as well. Since 1973 an organization known as CITES, placed both the African and Asian Elephants on their list of various species that can no longer be killed for their ivory. Many ivory carvers and local shops were forced to close due to the ban of ivory trading. Substitutes of ivory sources are walrus, narwhal, hippopotamus, mastodon ivory, and cow bones have been used.  Mastodon ivory is considered to be the best substitute for elephant ivory. Mastodon Ivory, also known as fossil ivory can be found in Russia and Alaska. Most of the time when prehistoric animals die they turn to fossils, however, when the mastodons are frozen they do not fossilize. Instead, the ice protects animal from this process.  After the permafrost has melted away, ivory hunters and paleontologist can find and remove the ivory from its site.

Mastodon ivory has a natural earthy brown hue to its appearance, and it is easy to tell the difference from the whiter, Elephant ivory. An etching technique, also known as scrimshaw, brings our the color in the ivory. The tusk itself has a blue center, and after being heated, the exterior of the tusk changes to a turquoise color. Mammoths and mastodons differ in many ways biologically, but according to CITES these species are preferred over the killing of the present day elephants because retrieving raw materials poses no threat to the extinct species.  It is unknown, however, how much more mammoth and mastodon fossil ivory remain.

[Constance Clark-Lecona]

Object: Figurine

E/1954/9/36
Hindu: Figurine of Dancing Shiva
India
20th century
Materials:  paper-maché, plaster

This object is a dancing figure of Shiva, the “Lord of the Dance” in Hindu religion.  This figure is a rare example of the figure with the right leg raised as opposed to the left leg in more common Dancing Shiva figures.  The headdress is gold with red trim.  The entire paper-maché figure is covered with gold paint.  The figure is mounted on a black plaster base.  The figure has four arms which represent the four cardinal directions. Each hand makes a specific “mudra” (gesture).

Hinduism is an ancient religion with no known founder or known date of origin. The term “Hinduism” simply derives from the word “India” and refers to a wide variety of religious traditions and philosophies that have developed in India over thousands of years.  The name for Shiva, or Siva (as is commonly seen), is of Sanskrit origin and can be translated “Auspicious One.”  Shiva is a god of contradictions as he is known also as the destroyer and the restorer, as well as the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger.  Shiva is part of the Hindu trinity along with Vishnu and Brahma.

Shiva’s dance is referred to as the  “Anandatandava,’” meaning the “Dance of Bliss.”  It symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, in addition to the daily rhythm of birth and death.  The Anandatandava said to take place in the “hall of consciousness” within the heart of man. The dance is a pictorial allegory of the five principle manifestations of eternal energy — creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion. A video of the dance can be seen here.

[Debra Taylor]

Object: Dancing Bells

E/1954/9/48
Hindu: Dancing Bells
Asia: India
20th Century
Materials: brass, fabric, woodwork

This string of bells belongs to a category of dance bells called ghungharu in the Hindu religious tradition of India. Ghungharu are usually worn by a dancer, and can vary in style. Most commonly the bells are attached to a strip of fabric or leather and are then tied around the dancer’s ankles or wrists; this particular ghungharu is attached to a bow and is held in the dancer’s hands. Bright colors and tassels often adorn the object to which the bells are attached. Sometimes, too, the bells will be attached to another instrument, such as the tabla, in order to create a richer sound.

The use of music and dance in Hindu religion is incredibly important.  The performer uses the beat to focus their attention, entering into a meditative state called Dhyana, which has an etymological link to the Buddhist term zen, the practice of gaining insight and wisdom from direct experiences rather than written creeds or scriptures. This complete singleminded focus allows the performer to feel connected with the spiritual plane. The ghungharu then transcend mere musical accompaniment to become a devotional tool for the wearer. A video of a dancer using ghungharu can be seen here.

[Daniel Gonzalez]

Object: Figurines

E/1957/21/21
India
1950’s
Materials: Ceramic, metal, paint

These tiny, yet beautiful figurines, standing merely 2 inches tall, were made to be purchased by Ganges pilgrims at Benares, India as token of having made the journey. Each of the figurines were hand-painted with a great deal of detail and most of the figures can be identified as specific Hindu deities.

These figurines represent many important deities of the Hindu religion. They include Parsam Ram (an incarnation of Vishnu), Saraswati, Krishna, Sita, Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu), an unidentified female figure, Kunti, Vishnu, Radha, Hannuman, and Rishi (the figures are shown from left to right, in this order, in the photograph below).

While the pantheon of Hindu deities is quite extensive, most of these characters are mentioned in the more famous ancient epics of India: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and are fundamental to Hindu belief. These epics are long heroic tales originally written in Sanskrit. Of the figurines held by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Rama, Sita (Rama’s consort), and Hanuman are extremely important characters in the Ramayana epic. In this legend, Hanuman is a monkey who discovers he has special powers given to him by the gods. He and Sita assist Rama in his heroic battle against Ravana and his plot to conquer the heavens.

Of the many Hindu deities, there are three that are commonly grouped as the primary trinity of Hinduism. These are Vishnu (the protector), Brahma (the creator), and Siva (the destroyer). These three deities are believed to create a balance in the universe. In the group of figurines held at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Vishnu is depicted three times (he is the first, fifth, and eighth figure shown below) [Chenoa Copeland].

Object: Tanpura

E/1954/9/6
India
Date unknown
Materials: Wood, ivory, metal, gourd

A tanpura is a commonly used musical instrument in India. It is a stringed drone instrument, which provides a deep harmonic foundation for a musical ensemble. In India, Taan means a musical phrase and puraa means to complete. Therefore, the name of this instrument means that it completes the entire sound. Tanpuras are made mainly of wood making them very durable and easy to transport. The resonator is made of a gourd and the neck is made of wood and has no frets. There are typically anywhere from four to seven steel strings attached to pegs on the bottom and tightened to nuts on the top. Many tanpuras are sanded and painted or lacquered to enhance their appearance. This object in particular is decorated with green and red dye.

Historically, these instruments were used in folk and tribal music, and often played an important role in religious worship. Now, they are increasingly popular and used by many groups of people. It is interesting to note that men and women play the instrument differently. Women traditionally play from a seated position, and tend to use relatively small versions of this instrument. Men, however, can play the instrument from a variety of positions, including while standing, allowing them to use larger versions of this instrument [Chenoa Copeland].

To hear what a tanpura sounds like, click one of the links below.

Large file.

Small file.

Object: Sitar

AS-12-04-071
Stringed instrument: sitar
Hindu India
Date unknown
Materials: wood, ivory, metal strings, gourd, sting.

The sitar is a classical musical instrument from North India. The sitar resembles a plucked, long necked lute. The player would pluck the six major stings with a metal pick like device that is fashioned out of wire. The thirteen sympathetic strings of the sitar are not plucked, but instead provide a droning sound as the sitar is played.

The construction of this sitar is consistent with the standard classical method of construction. The gourd resonating chamber is connected to the wooden neck by a decorative wooden device that is secured with a combination of glue and nails. The strings are connected to the resonation gourd by a string block that allows the vibration of the strings to be transmitted into the gourd where they are amplified. The tuning devices for the strings are called the peg box.

Click here to hear what a sitar sounds like.

The Ethnology department of SNOMNH invites and encourages your comments on this particular North Indian Sitar. [Zach Duvall]