Dhol - India

The dhol is a drum that dates back to the 15th century. It was probably introduced to the Indian subcontinent via the Persian drum type dohol (duhul). The evidence for this is found in Ain-i-Akbari, which describes the use of duhul in the orchestra of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The Indo-Aryan word "dhol" appears in print around 1800 in the treatise Sangitasara.

Playing:
Someone who plays the Dhol is known as Dholi (Punjabi: ਢੋਲੀ). The Dhol is played using two wooden sticks, usually made out of bamboo and cane wood.

The stick used to play the bass[disambiguation needed ] side of the instrument, known as the dagga, is a bit thicker (roughly about 10 mm in diameter) and is bent in a quarter-circular arc on the end that strikes the instrument. The other stick, known as tihli, is much thinner and flexible and used to play the higher note end of the instrument.

The Dhol is slung over the neck of the player with a strap usually made up of ropes or woven cloth. The surface of the wooden barrel is in some cases decorated with engraved or painted patterns.

Rhythms:
In the pre-Partition era, dozens of rhythms were played on the Punjabi dhol, which corresponded to specific functions. However, with the decline or disappearance of some cultural practices, recent generations of dhol-players have become unfamiliar with many of these.