The Dhodro Banam is a traditional instrument played during birth, naming, marriage, and death rites, as well as during festivals related to the fertility of the earth by tribes known as Adhivasi (non-Hindu people of the Munda language), such as the Santal and the Ho, in the regions of Bihar, Orissa, and West Bengal in India. It is played with a bow and can be accompanied by a Dhol drum. These rituals focus on worshiping the spirits of ancestors or clan leaders.

According to the original myth, seven brothers killed their sister to eat her. The youngest, unable to swallow his portion, buried it in an anthill. A guloic tree grew from that spot, producing a melodious sound. A primordial ancestor, passing by, heard the sound, cut a branch from the tree, and created the first Dhodro Banam.

We are proud to present a small yet exceptional selection of 9 lutes from a private collection that was carefully assembled over several decades. Among Indian lutes, the anthropomorphic type is particularly rare. However, the pieces in our selection are considered some of the finest examples known worldwide.