Eastern India (possibly Orissa, India)
Indian – Santal group of Munda people

Wood, parchment, gut string
19th century
Length: 26.5 in, Width: 5.5 in
Chordophones – Lutes 

This one-string bowed fiddle called dhodro banam comes from the Santal tribal community of eastern India.  It is a member of the sarinda family, a type of lute with a partially open body that is covered with skin on the lower part.  The body and neck of the instrument are handmade from a single block of dark, hard wood (possibly the guloic tree) with carved anthropomorphic (human) and zoomorphic (animal) figures.  The dhodro banam is played with a bow in the manner of a violin, but in a vertical position and the carving on the top always faces the listener. The Santals play this one-stringed instrument as an accompaniment to their songs and dances such as, the Dasae, Sohrae, Don, Lagre and Karam.

The dhodro banam makers seem to have created basic models that are to be distinguished from one another only by differences in the ornamentation and minor variations in iconography.

This 19^th century instrument comes from the published and renowned collection of Sam Hilu, a prominent author and adviser on traditional Asian art. 

Resource:  The Lutes of the Santal | Bengt Fosshag