Dugdugi
Dugdugi onomatopoeic name for percussion instrument shaped like an hourglass, with both ends covered with goatskin. A string with two small lead or iron balls is fastened around the narrow waist of the dugdugi. When the instrument is moved rapidly in one hand, the small balls hit the skin, making sounds like dugdug. The dugdugi is also known as damvaru or damaru.
According to old bangla literature the god shiva played the dugdugi. The charyapada also has a reference to the dugdugi: anaha damaru vajae (The unplayed dugdugi rings on). krittivas also refers to the dugdugi: damvaru vajaye bhiksa kare ghare ghare (He begs from door to door playing a dugdugi). There are pictures of people playing this instrument in Paharpur terracotta.
In Bangladesh bedeys (gypsies), snake charmers, and jugglers still use the dugdugi for performances with snakes, monkeys and bears. The dugdugi also accompanies songs rendered at the festival of Shiva in the Bangla month of Chaitra. [Wakil Ahmed]
