THE PRODUCTION OF TABLA IN SRI LANKA

North Indian music plays a considerable role in Sri Lanka. This paper discusses the assembly of the North Indian tabla, a pair of single-headed membranophones which arrived in Sri Lanka in the late 19th century. As an instrument of the Indian heritage, it is of great importance in accompanying vocal renderings in ensemble with other types of instruments in different genres. Sri Lanka has a capacious history of drumming and inventing drums such as ‘yak beraya’, ‘geta beraya’, ‘rabana’. Even though there is not much interest in the production of the tabla in the country, it still continues to get imported from India. The instrument is played with the hands, palm, and fingers, which is made of cow or goat skin. The middle part (black part) of the tabla is made of iron-oxide ash, glue, wheat-flour paste, soot, and copper vitriol. There are some varieties of woods out of which the tabla is made, such as rosewood, neem (Azadirachta indica), and mahogany. The wrapper of the Bayan (left) drum is bowl-shaped; it is made of chrome-plated copper. The materials which are used to make the tabla are available in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, this raises a question that why may Sri Lankans mostly desire to import the instrument while there are many skilled instrument makers and required materials? In this research, the views on tabla making, crafting skills, and underlying reasons have been discussed. Previous literature on organology, musical instruments making, and some socio- musicological studies were studied in this regard, and personal interviews with craftsmen were conducted in order to gather information. This research may provide some insights about a desired industrial development of instrument making as a contribution to the economy and the society.