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Playback time for Punjab’s tumbi

Patiala and Rupnagar, Punjab

Tumbi - Punjab's favourite music instrument was an integral part of Punjabi folk music. Created from tumba (a similar bigger instrument) post partition by Lal Chand Yamla, tumbi has traversed a long journey. After the introduction of electronic music, tumbi's craze declined. Two men in Punjab, Vijay Yamla and Jai Ram, are doing their bit to keep this traditional music instrument alive in the hearts of people. While Jai Ram is among the few craftsmen left in Punjab who continues to make tumbi, Vijay Yamla (grandson of Lal Chand Yamla or Yamla Jatt) is fusing its tunkar with electronic music to appeal to the younger audience.

Sanskriti Talwar is an independent journalist who writes about gender, human rights and sustainability. She is Rural Media Fellow 2022 at Youth Hub, Village Square.