Question

Arrange the percussion instruments in ascending order according to their origin:
A. Pakhawaj
B. Bhumidundubhi
C. Tripushkar
D. Dundubhi
E. Tabla
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. B, D, A, E, C
• B. B, D, C, E, A
• C. B, D, C, A, E
• D. E, A, C, D, B

Hint:

Prehistoric and ancient drums like the Bhumidundubhi and Dundubhi always come first in a historical timeline, while the Tabla is the newest addition to Indian classical percussion.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept: Arranging percussion instruments in ascending order according to their origin means tracing them chronologically from the oldest prehistoric and Vedic drums down to medieval and modern instruments.

Step 1: Establish the historical timeline for each percussion instrument.
Let us review the historical emergence of these instruments:
• B. Bhumidundubhi: A prehistoric pit-drum dug into the earth and covered with hide, referenced in the oldest Vedic texts as the earliest percussion instrument.
• D. Dundubhi: An ancient outdoor war drum or ritual kettle drum mentioned in Vedic literature.
• C. Tripushkar: A sacred three-headed drum system described in ancient classical treatises like the *Natyashastra* (c. 200 BCE – 200 CE).
• A. Pakhawaj: A medieval barrel drum that evolved from the ancient *Mridang* to accompany Dhrupad music.
• E. Tabla: A modern classical drum pair that emerged around the 18th century for Khayal and light-classical accompaniment.

Step 2: Arrange the instruments chronologically.
Ordering these instruments from oldest to newest produces the following sequence: Bhumidundubhi (B) \(\rightarrow\) Dundubhi (D) \(\rightarrow\) Tripushkar (C) \(\rightarrow\) Pakhawaj (A) \(\rightarrow\) Tabla (E). This matches option (3) perfectly.