Onavillu
An onavillu is a simple, short, bow-shaped musical instrument. Its name may come from Onam, a festival in Kerala where the instrument is used in dances, and villu, which means 'bow' in Malayalam (and several other South Indian languages). Although still regularly used in rural art forms, use of the onavillu is on the decline. Onavillu also refers to flat, tapered wooden artifacts decorated with tassels and used in ceremonies of devotion to Lord Vishnu. Instrument The onavillu that accompanies the Kummattikali and other folk dances is a Keralite string instrument made from the pith of the palmyra stem, or from bamboo, shaped as a bow. Bamboo slivers are used for bowstrings. The bow strings sound when struck with a thin stick, the size of a pencil. The sound can be varied through finger pressure on the string. Ceremonial bow The ceremonial onavillu, which is not a musical instrument, is made from a flat piece of wood 1/2 inch thick, tapering on both sides. Sizes range from 3.5 feet by 4 inches to 4.5 feet by 6 inches. The wood of kadambu, maruthu, jack fruit, and aanjili trees are preferred (See List of Indian timber trees). The wood is cut