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title: 'How does the kanjira differ from a tambourine?'
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date: '2026-10-19T15:15:55+00:00'
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summary: 'The kanjira is a small tambourine-family frame drum with a single slot of jingles and a head wetted to bring out a bass tone.'
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  FAQ · Instruments & artforms

# How does the kanjira differ from a tambourine?

 Updated 19 October 2026

 The **[kanjira](/instrument/kanjira)** belongs to the tambourine family of frame drums. It is small, about 7 to 9 inches across, with a single slot holding its jingles. Players wet the inside of its head, traditionally lizard skin and now goat or synthetic, to lower the pitch and bring out a bass tone.



 

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 ###  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-int/instrument/kanjira)
 
  

 

 

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