List of Nepali musical instruments

In such cases where instruments were imported in ancient times, or when both varieties are played in Nepal, both can be included on the list.

Many Nepali folk instruments [2] or lokabaja (नेपाली लोकबाजा) date back into prehistory or inaccessible history.

An example by Thomas O. Ballinger and Purna Harsha Bajracharya, Nepalese Musical Instruments, Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, Published by: The University of Chicago Press, Vol.

Random entries for Nepali instruments include Arbajo, Damaha, the Kingdom of Nepal [and its instruments and international music relationships] and the ghanta (both large "male" bells and smaller "female" handbells).

This resource requires either a subscription (not inexpensive), access to a university library, or purchase of the $995 set of books.

[3] The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 5: South Asia, the Indian subcontinent does address Nepal directly in a chapter.

Ram Prasad Kadel began to visit different parts of his country and collect examples of instruments that he found.

Two metal plates, connected at the bottom with jhalli in a row on each side; falls open from the top.

Newar merchants of Kathmandu, Nepal parading in Lhasa, Tibet playing drums in 1903.
Nepal ethnic groups (note that Kulu Rodu (Kulung) territories are mistakenly marked as Tamu/Gurung territories in this map)
Modern sculpture of the Hindu Goddess Saraswati with an unnamed lute-style veena in Kathmandu. Images like this give clues to the nature of old musical instruments, if the artifact can be reliably placed to a particular place and past date.
Dambaa (back side)
Tamang dancers in the United States with a dambaa.
Nepali people playing " Damphu ", one of their traditional instruments.
Possible Hring.
Two men holding different kinds of Khaijadi; right instrument has jingles.
Another kind of Khaijadi.
Pair of Dibya nagaras at Durbar Square, Kathmandu.
(Near to far): Two damaha drums, a tyamko drum, and a dholaki drum at a Hindu wedding in Nepal.
Kathmandu musicians play tabla and harmonium.
Tamil Udukkai drum, similar to Nepali drum.
Possible Dhaa drums and bhusya cymbals at Tebaha Gunla Bajan Buddhist devotional musical society playing in Kathmandu.
Ma Dhimay (front) and Aelapohn dhime (back)
Dholaki, part of Panche baja
Paisari dance.
Possible Naya-Khin drums and chhusya cymbals at performance of Gunla Bajan religious music at Kathmandu Durbar Square .
Drummers performing at Kartik Naach .
Nepali woman plays the maadal.
Drummer plays a Pakhawaaja at the Lalitpur District, Nepal .
Raute elder drumming during dance in Machaina village, 1997.
Big ghanta and little ghanta outside a temple
Taleju Bell in Kathmandu's Durbar Square .
Bells at Dakshinkali Temple .
Bell at Patan Durbar Square
Bell from Java, similar to Baisnava Ghanta, lotus leaf on top.
Indian made anklet.
A carved wooden bell. This one is from Tribal Museum, Koraput, Odisha, India.
Cymbals at the Gai Jatra festival.
Dhaa drum and bhusya cymbals during Tebaha gunla bajan
Cymbals at Gai Jatra festival, Bhaktapur .
Rai woman with cymbals.
Cymbals accompanying Yaaka Khin drums at Kartik Naach , 2018
Possible Tinchhu cymbals at the Bhaktapur Gai Jatra in 2015
Cymbals in Jhong
Two Rai women. The woman on the left is playing the binayo.
Murchunga jaw harp
The Indian chimta is the same instrument.
Playing music in front of Boudhanath (सोयम्भुनाथ).
Men dancing and playing ghintanghisi during Gai Jatra, in front of the Nyatapole Mandir temple in the Kathmandu Valley.
Indian khartal blocks.
Kastha Kartaala काण्ठ कर्ताल
Indian version, called thattai
Jingle played in 2013 Udhauli festival.
Re-creation of the Aarbajo. The instrument is being held like a guitar or dramyen. The traditional way is to set it vertically in the lap.
Dhodro banam , 19th century.
Nepali sarangi
Tamang tungna
Urni, cropped from an 1820 image
Anandalahari . The yakuchaa babhu would have the string coming out from the top of the membrane, instead of having it pass through the instrument's body.
19th century version from Tibet.
Probable narasingaa purbeli (left) and Kalasha Karnāl horn (right)
Narsinga at Hindu wedding ceremony
Behind costumed "Goddess" and drummer, men play pongas, with rests anchored to their bodies.
Public performance by Newar musicians with flutes, Lalitpur .
Flute salesman in Kathmandu with end blown and transverse bamboo flutes.
End-blown murali with seven sound holes. Athapaharia Rai caste.
Tharlam Monastery band plays during Lamdre at Boudha , Kathmandu.
Indian sruti upanga bagpipe.
Burmese mashak, with reed pipe similar to Pungi with melody pipe and drone pipe together.
North Indian shehnai.
Snake charmer with pungi in India.
Bin. Two holes visible at bottom of drone pipe.
Musician plays a sahane at a wedding.