Antique Thanjavur Tambura

I bought this superb old tambura in 1974 when I was studying veena in Madras. It was a century old then! A very beautiful Karnatic style with all-sambar (stag horn) antler inlays, solid jackwood carved resonator, and a hard ebony bridge. It has an exceptionally rich resonance and sustain. Thanjavur ( or Tanjore) has been a noted center of instrument making for generations as well as a profoundly sophisticated and important cultural treasure of Tamil temples and arts. This instrument is in the collections of the Musical Instrument Museum, Phoenix, Arizona.