It is used in some Indian languages like Telugu in the form of nagaaraa.

It is a drum only. It is a big/huge D shaped drum with the curve part of the D shape downwards. The top part is the sounding part. Made to sound with the help of two very big sticks.

Not a 'musical instrument' though. It was used on the terraces of fort entrances its sound indicating several different announcements: exits and entries of kings, victories of kings, beginnings of events in the fort etc.

On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 3:24 AM, Greg Bailey <Greg.Bailey@latrobe.edu.au> wrote:

Dear List,

A colleague who is not a member of the list asked about the meaning of the word n?gar?? Any help would be appreciated. I assume it might come from nagara, but to may relate to a musical instrument.

Thanks in advance,

Greg Bailey

"Is naagaraa a Sanskrit word? Is it used in any Sanskrit source? I cann't find it in either Monnier-Williams or Macdonnel.

Curt Sachs reports it as a cognate for Urdu naqqaara (kettledrum) in his 1917 catalogue (in German) of musical instruments in Burma and Assam. I think he is mistaken."

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Nagaraj Paturi

Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.

Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies

FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of Liberal Education,

(Pune, Maharashtra, INDIA )