Tungana
Tungana or Tungna
Other names
  • Tungna
  • sgra-snyan (Tibet)[1]
Classification String instrument (plucked)
Hornbostel–Sachs classification321.322 (necked box lute)
(Chordophone)
DevelopedNepal and Bhutan
Related instruments

The Tungna (Nepali: टुङ्ना) is a plucked string instrument from the Northern Himalayan region: Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan.[1] It is made from a single piece of carved wood. The front hollow body (which serves as the sound-box) is covered with stretched animal skin on which the 'bridge' sits.[2] The Tungna has four strings which is anchored to the keys and body at both ends and the 'bridge' acts as a cantilever thus maintaining the tension of the strings.

It is mostly played by the people in the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal mainly by the Tamang and Sherpa people during auspicious occasions, gatherings and festivals. The musicians play the Tungna and sing songs, which they compose themselves especially to welcome the New Year or during the harvest season. Most households of this mountain region have at least one Tungna in their house.

See also

Similar historical instruments
Iranian rubab image on ceramic plate
Iranian style rubab from the 13th century C.E., found in Rayy (near Tehran, Iran).
Siddhartha playing the lute, sculpture
Kushan Empire, 1st to 3rd century. Lute or vina, from the Yusufzai district near Peshawar. Greco Buddhist (Gandhara School). Resembles rubab, sarod and tungna.
Painting of rubab found in Mongolian grave in China
Mongolian lute, circa 1297, Tomb of Wang Qing, China

References

  1. 1 2 "Images from The Beede Gallery Lute (Tungna), Nepal, 19th Century".
  2. ↑ Nagendra Śarmā (1992). Secrets of Shangri-La: an enquiry into the lore, legend and culture of Nepal. Nirala Publications. p. 51. Retrieved 24 March 2012.


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