Bulbul Thara-A classical Music Instrument

Posted by Shyam sharai | Posted in | Posted on 2:34 PM

Bulbul thara is not new to me since my age of 3. But now it looks strange to me. A passion to research about it. I remember the day that my grandfather played this musical instrument during one christmas season for songs. It sounds good when i again say it in working condition, but with lot of faults.

I can't classify this. Because it has both key in a board & strings like guitar.

And i don't know about this instrument in detail. The reason i posted this is to get
feed back from anyone who knew it.







But i can describe the instrument upto my knowledge. It is a rectangular wooden hollow clock,
tied with 5 strings horizontally. One more horizontal wooden block is mounted on the string with keys attachment. Keys are arranged in such a way that when it is pressed it touches the string accordingly.
It should be striked in right hand on its string &keys are played in left hand like piano.

                          When i googled about this i could't find anything about its history and all. But A.r rahaman
used this instrument in kuchi-kuchi rakkamma song from the movie bombay.
If anyone knows about this , please tell me where it originated and whatever
you know about it.

Comments (3)

My dad plays this instrument very well. We have one at home though it some keys are missing.I have posted my dad playing it on my fb account too.

My dad has also had this banjo or bulbulthara at my kolar gold fields mining house in 1968 later it disappeared from my house. Later when I saw this instrument in partiala music shop and purchased in the yr 1988 and brought back to my house during my annual leave from Indian army at home my late father directed my brother how to play with the both the hands one thing is very important ie one must remember a tune or a song with the sound of side instruments one cannot notice the sound effect of this banjo so I upgraded my bulbulthara by fitting a pickup fitted to it now it gives nice sound like a electric guitar. I would like to play during Christmas eve at church. One more model banjo I have brought it is like piano button missed buttons can be made at tinker shop.

Further it is a simple string instrument to play
white buttons 123456123456 represent the sa re ga ma pa da ni sa, and the blue doted buttons are sharp buttons.