On a trip to Kolkata, last year, I got introduced to a wooden toad that croaks. It's an exceptionally perky toad that turns out to be quite an entertaining and handy percussion instrument (we had the august pleasure of meeting the croaking toad at the 'Iktarawala' shop, at the city centre 2 mall in Kolkata). I haven't yet been able to confirm whether this 'musical clan of toads' originated in Kolkata/Tamil Nadu or from some place in South east Asia ...or even Africa but I am glad that I was taken to that shop, so one of these toadies could hop skip and jump onto my palm .The ever-smiling Iktarawala (Mr. Khanna) willingly played the Iktara (one among many instruments used by 'Bauls'- a syncretic religious sect of musicians/entertainers from Bengal), as well as the croaking toad for us. He twirled a wooden stick on the toad's rough back and tapped its nose .... almost bringing it to life! We've made a video which is quite like a tutorial in itself.
It's nice to see how it takes one guy's effort to showcase the culture of a state to everyone. This definitely was one of the cutest kiosks that I have ever seen at a shopping mall---An experience worth savouring!
The interesting thing about the 2nd instrument in this video i.e. the Iktara is that---with just one string, one note , one can create rhythms to sing any song !! The string has to be tuned to the sound of Fa or मा note of the scale in which the song is being sung and Voila ....you've got music which can be endless hours of fun! Confusing??? Well, not really---Infact, the simplicity of these two instruments now makes me interested in more such . There is really no end to how engrossing and limitless music can be.
The bottom line is ---- Mr Khanna guarantees that practising these instruments for 10 mins every day can make me a 'Star' someday. So I am at it ....rocking and rolling ...tuurrruk tik tok ...tuuurrrruk tak tak ....:-D
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