Traditional Instruments and Accompaniment
Domain 3 tests instrument identification, construction, and accompaniment roles in Assamese folk ensembles. You should know which instrument carries melody, which holds rhythm, and which adds texture.
Core instruments and roles
- Dhol: two-headed barrel drum played with sticks; central to Bihu, it sets and varies tempo.
- Khol: barrel drum used in Sattriya and Borgeet; do not confuse it with the Bihu dhol.
- Taal: cymbals that mark the cycle and support group singing.
- Pepa: buffalo-horn pipe; plays melodic calls and signals in Bihu.
- Gagana: bamboo jaw harp/plucked idiophone; adds rhythmic drone.
- Xutuli: clay whistle; used for texture and signal.
- Toka: bamboo clapper; marks pulse.
- Kham and sifung (Bodo), gumrag drum (Mishing), sarinda, dotara, ektara/tokari, and muruli flute appear in other repertoires.
Worked example
A Bihu ensemble has dhol, pepa, gagana, toka, xutuli and taal. Reasoning: dhol leads tempo; pepa supplies melodic calls; gagana, toka and xutuli add rhythmic texture; taal marks the cycle; the voice carries the song text. If the pepa is absent, the voice still carries the melody.
Traps that cost marks
Pepa is a hornpipe, not a transverse flute. Khol and dhol differ in construction and repertoire. Gagana is not a string instrument. Do not assign every instrument to every genre.