harmonium

The harmonium was brought to India a few hundred years ago and was quickly modified to its present form. Since music in india is mainly performed sitting on the ground, and the harmonium was adated to suit. Indian music is melody orientated, and so 1 hand was able to be used for pumping the bellows and the other for playing melody. It has become synonymous with Indian music, especially kirtan.

krishna das plays harmonium

The video below shows how Krishna Das plays a kirtan on the harmonium. He has a slightly unconventional technique in this video, having the instrument perched on one end and resting on his knee.

links to harmonium related sites

Learn to Play Harmonium - a good introduction to indian music as well

Learn to Play - video on youtube