'polluting' effect of leather in music?

[Francois Quiviger]

Dear all,

I am following this thread with considerable interest and confusion. Does
the polluting effect of leather apply to string instruments like the
sarod? I know an excellent sarod player who is also a Brahmin. Is this a
contradiction in terms? I know about the low status of drummers, but in
turn it seems contradicted by the extremely high prestige held by Hindu
tabla players such as Kishan Maharaj or Swapan Chauduri.

					Best wishes.

					Francois Quiviger