This musical instrument has the shape like that of Surahi. It is an earthen
instrument whose bottom is covered with animal skin. Tumbaknari has
offered a variety of dimensions in the folk music of Kashmir, largely in the
performance of the “Rouf”.
Tumbak has been a musical instrument in the good olden days in Iran and Central Asia, which was being played mostly by the women folk of these places. Many authors believe that such instrument is being used in Iran and Arabia too. May be it has come to Kashmir from these places, for the simple reason that visitors and rulers were coming to Kashmir in the olden days from Iran and middle east, which besides other things made cultural invasion on the art of Kashmir. Co-incidentally, this instrument is also being played by the women folk in Kashmir, the only difference is that in Iran or Central Asia, it is now being made of wood, while in Kashmir, it is still being made of baked clay and its bottom is covered with animal skin maintaining its originality. This type of instrument is used for keeping rhythm and also time that covers in a performance of music.
In Iran, this instrument is called Tumbakh or Tunbak. In west, it is tumbal or tumbari and in Kashmir, it is tumbaknaeer. The naer is added because the tail end of this instrument is like a pipe, which in Kashmiri, is called a Nore, which has in course of time, changed to near, making the instrumental tumbaknaer.
