On the same trip to India where I found the traditional Rajasthani painted wooden dafli player, I also came across a magnificent three and a half foot high solid silver image of a dafli player in a traditional Rajasthani tribal style. It was, of all things, installed by the catering company as a decorative ornament in the reception tent at the safari camp set up for visitors to the annual Pushkar Camel Fair near Ajmer in Rajasthan. After this discovery, I kept my eyes open in every handicraft bazaar for a smaller version. Sure enough, in Jaipur, I found a seven inch high version of the same statue but now in white metal with a touch of silver leaf. My real surprise came back in Canada when I found two more tribal figurines in white metal playing the dafli in a shop in Little India on Gerrard Street in Toronto. These were eleven inches in height, so taller and more detailed than the one I found in Jaipur. I have not been able to find out much about these Rajasthani tribal figures except for the interesting fact that the little ornaments hanging from their bodies are called "ghungroos".
Biblical Drumming for Worship Today
Roadie's Blog
I am Bob, Betty Lynn's partner and Roadie. When she holds a drumming workshop, I do the driving, set up the drums, make sure the PowerPoint is working, and then sort of disappear. As a hobby, I have taken to "antiquing" in the vicinity, looking for figurines and other pieces depicting frame drummers. Sometimes I am lucky, many times I am not, but as time passes our collection slowly grows. This blog, in the coming weeks, will share some of our finds with you. Perhaps you will share some of yours with us.
