ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Tumburu

Tumburu is a musical instrument that comes from India. It is also called a tambura or tanpura. Imagine a big, pear-shaped guitar with no frets and only four strings. The Tumburu is usually made of wood with a hollow body and a long neck. The strings are metal and they are stretched tightly across the body of the instrument.

When someone plays tumburu, they don't actually play any melodies or tunes like you might hear from a guitar or a piano. Instead, they play a constant drone or hum. This drone serves as a background sound for other musicians to play over. Think of it like when you hold a note and sing "ahhhh" for a long time, and your friend plays a song on top of that note.

Tumburu is often used in Indian classical music and is an important part of many traditional Indian musical performances. It is believed that the tumburu's sound has therapeutic benefits and is often used in meditation and other spiritual practices.

In conclusion, Tumburu is a cool-looking instrument from India with four metal strings that plays a constant humming sound to provide a background for other music.