Gopi yantra

Wooden, conical, plucked drum, with body comprising a frustrum of a cone. Known as " gopi yantra" or " the milk-maid' s instrument" . Two membranes, one cut away, so that what remains serves only as a basis for applying tension, via bracing, to the remaining membrane. String of galvanized iron passes twice through intact head, skin of which is protected from tearing by a mother-of-pearl button. Upper end of string inserted in tuning-peg, passing through length of giant grass, split longitudinally, the tines of the fork so formed being lashed to the sides of the drum. String can be turned to any desired initial pitch, which can be further varied by squeezing tines.