Birbhum, West Bengal

Shantiniketan Ektara (Gopi Yantra)

The ektara (also called gopi yantra) is the one-stringed plucked drone instrument of the baul tradition, carved from the dried epicarp of a gourd and strung with bamboo and goatskin elements. Santiniketan in Birbhum is the heartland of baul making and playing, and the instrument has now received a GI (Geographical Indication) tag that legally protects the Shantiniketan ektara from imitation. Buyers get a hand-carved folk instrument used in baul kirtan and ritual music, ranging from simple tourist pieces to fine artisan instruments. It is best bought in Santiniketan or Bolpur, where baul musicians and instrument makers still work.

Typical price: ₹500-5000

Buying tip: Buy from baul musicians or makers around Santiniketan and Bolpur, and check that the gourd body is sound, the string is taut and the pitch holds; the GI tag now protects the Shantiniketan ektara against copies.