--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-kanjira' title: 'What is a kanjira?' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/user/0f961cccc99524ed' date: '2026-10-19T15:15:21+00:00' type: website summary: 'The kanjira is a small South Indian frame drum of the tambourine family, with jingles in its frame, supporting the mridangam.' tags: - 'Instruments & artforms' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- [ Help ](/en-gb/help) What is a kanjira? 1. [ Home ](/en-gb) 2. 3. [ Help ](/en-gb/help) 4. 5. Instruments & artforms 6. 7. What is a kanjira? FAQ · Instruments & artforms # What is a kanjira? Updated 19 October 2026 The **[kanjira](/instrument/kanjira)** is a single-headed South Indian frame drum of the tambourine family. Its circular wooden frame has a slot holding a small set of metal jingles. In Carnatic concerts it supports the mridangam, often alongside or in place of the ghatam and morsing, and it has long served in folk and bhajan music. Was this answer helpful? [ ](/en-gb/user/login?flag_anon=faq_helpful-955&destination=/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-kanjira) [ ](/en-gb/user/login?flag_anon=faq_not_helpful-955&destination=/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-kanjira) Thanks for your feedback! ## Related pages 1 page mentions this question ### Instruments (1) - [ Kanjira The kanjira is the South Indian frame drum of Carnatic music, played beside the mridangam: a wooden frame with metal jingles and a lizard-skin or goat-skin… ](/en-gb/instrument/kanjira) [ Previous question What is a jori? ](/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-jori) [ Next question What is a mohan veena? ](/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-mohan-veena)