Abstract:

In India, there are numerous tribal communities; over 700 officially recognised tribal groups are present in India, making it the largest country with the most tribes in the world. These tribal groups have unique cultural identity that comes from their unique culture and lifestyle. In their unique culture lie unique traditional musical instruments, which has its own importance. These traditional musical instruments not only reflect their musical culture but also the traditions that have continued since primitive times. The Jaunsari tribe is one such tribe, inhabiting the middle Himalaya region of Uttarakhand in Dehradun district. The tribe includes various ancient musical instruments that are part of their culture, tradition, and identity. The study employs a qualitative multi-method approach combining historical research (through museum visits), personal narratives (informal interviews), textual analysis (books), and observations. The findings suggest that there are various traditional musical instruments in the tribe that are used differently at different periods of time. At every event, whether in marriage, worship of the deity, or death, these instruments have their own importance and specific applications. Thus, this research paper is going to document the traditional musical instruments along with their significance, as well as preserve the knowledge of those traditional instruments that have vanished or are in a state of vanishing in the tribe.