The rabana (Sinhalese: රබාන) is a one-sided traditional Sri Lankan drum played with the hands. Iti is mainly played during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and other festive occasions.
The body of these drums are made by carving the jak or vitex trees. The skin used is that of a goat. There are two types of rabanas, the hand rabana (ath rabana) and the bench rabana (banku rabana).
The hand rabana is about one foot in diameter. Some performers keep revolving the rabana on the tip of their fingers while others play it accompanied by singing. This is played with one hand only.
This type of rabana is mostly associated with the type of folk songs called virindu. The virindu’ singer carrying an ath rabana clad in a sarong and a bandana was an icon in Sri Lankan society in the days gone by.
The bench rabana is the biggest of these drums used in Sri Lanka with a diameter of about four feet.
The special feature of this drum is that it is played by two or more persons at a time.
They use both hands. During the festival season, people gather around the bench rabana and play various rhythms on it.
These rhythms are called raban sural and they’re mostly played by women.
It’s played on every happy occasion. They also sing songs keeping to the rhythm. They are called varang kavi or raban pada. Sri Lankan folk literature is full of varang kavi and raban pada.“
Yashodhara Paranagama
9 H
Musaeus College
Raban pada
Uddapalagaththath wattakkaa
Bimapalagaththath wattakkaa
Udapalagaththath – Bimapalagaththath
Punchi punchi gedi wattakkaa”
“Udin Udin wara peththappu
Bimin bimin wara peththappu
Udin Udin wara - bimin bimin wara
Kawum kanna wara peththappu “
“Dontha babakkata
Denna deyak natha
Petta gamak uda
thutu dekak atha “
“Egoda godeth raththaran
megod godeth raththaran
Egoda godeth megoda godeth
Athek barata raththaran”
“Ran thambili gas dekayi
Gon thambili gas dekayi
gas dekata mal dekayi
mal dekata gas dekayi”
“Thelen baddath kobeyiya
Kiren baddath kobeyiya
thelen baddath - Kiren baddath
kohoma baddath kobeyiya