AInstrumentIndependent states
Naghara
The heartbeat of Azerbaijani weddings and dances — a double-headed drum that forms the liveliest ensemble together with the zurna.

The naghara is a drum with skin stretched over both ends of a cylindrical wooden body, played with the hands or with sticks. Types include the large naghara (kos), the small jura naghara and the gosha naghara — two small drums joined together.
Together with the zurna it is the main ensemble of open-air weddings, festivals and contests. The drummer sets the tempo — and often the mood — of the dances.
In old times large drums were also used to call to battle and to spread news.
Sources
Updated: October 1, 2026







