Tanpura thru US customs
Ushnish Basu
Does anyone have an expreience of bringing a tanpura or a similar looking
instrument (sitar etc.) through US customs, i.e. while coming from India to
the US? I wanted to know if any specific thing(s) needs to be done, e.g. a)
should I come through the Green channel or the Red channel, b) do the
customs people ask any specific questions or create any problems, c) is any
duty required.
Any information will be appreciated.
Thanks.
Ushnish
--
Ushnish Basu ub...@ce.berkeley.edu
+1 510 644-1906 http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/~ubasu
Girish Mokhasi
getting it thru customs here. They just asked me if it was a musical
instrument. I got it as my second piece of luggage and did not pay any duty.
James Pokorny
declaring them as musical instruments. I never had any problems, but did
have to pay some duty once when bringing several instruments back, but this
was because I had exceeded the allowable amount.
I have heard horror stories, though, about customs agents wanting to "open"
sitar, tanpura, or tabla since there is no "sound hole" as there are on
Western stringed instruments. I believe this is due to South Asian
countries being "targeted" for narcotics smuggling. I know of one person
who refused to "open" the gourd of a sitar, but was then asked to play
something on it.
Do be careful, however, that your instrument is very well packed (but not
TOO tightly), otherwise it may "open" on its own accord, without any Customs
request!
The last time I brought instruments back, though, I wound up having a
delightful conversation with the customs agent, who had fond memories of
having seen Pt. Ravi Shankar perform here in the States "back in the 60's"!
Good luck bringing your instrument back.
James
Girish Mokhasi wrote in message <3746B69C...@concentric.net>...
buh...@ecn.ab.ca
<snip>
: I have heard horror stories, though, about customs agents wanting to "open"
: sitar, tanpura, or tabla since there is no "sound hole" as there are on
: Western stringed instruments. I believe this is due to South Asian
: countries being "targeted" for narcotics smuggling. I know of one person
: who refused to "open" the gourd of a sitar, but was then asked to play
: something on it.
having only brought my sitars back and forth between the u.s. and canada,
i don't have a wealth of experience on which to draw. the thing that's
always worried me (other than the fact that, since i play sitar and have
longish hair, the customs people will see me as an obvious dope dealer) is
that both my sitars have something rattling around inside them. my guru
says this is typical, although neither of us know what it is (any ideas?).
a customs officer hearing that might naturally want to see what it was,
with the above-mentioned "sound hole" being created as a result. hasn't
happened yet. here's hoping....
ajb
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Buhr buh...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Savour the Irony! bu...@infinity.gmcc.ab.ca
http://freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/~buhrger
James Pokorny
>i don't have a wealth of experience on which to draw. the thing that's
>always worried me (other than the fact that, since i play sitar and have
>longish hair, the customs people will see me as an obvious dope dealer) is
>that both my sitars have something rattling around inside them. my guru
>says this is typical, although neither of us know what it is (any ideas?).
>a customs officer hearing that might naturally want to see what it was,
>with the above-mentioned "sound hole" being created as a result. hasn't
>happened yet. here's hoping....
>
>ajb
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>Andrew Buhr buh...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
>Savour the Irony! bu...@infinity.gmcc.ab.ca
> http://freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/~buhrger
To Andrew and all other instrumentalists with unwanted "rattling-s":
I'd like to share with you all a good trick that my teacher taught me.
Next time you do an overhaul of your instrument (as in changing all strings,
etc.) remove all the tuning pegs for both main and sympathetic strings.
Make sure that they're marked in numerical order, so that you'll insert them
back into the proper positions. (Some instrument makers will already have
marked the pegs with numbered slashes, roman numerals, etc.) Remove the
upper resonator, if your instrument has one. Spread some newspaper on the
floor, then gently shake your instrument back and forth over the newspaper.
You'll be surprised at the amount of wood shavings, inner gourd fibers, etc.
that come out. Make sure to hold your instrument upside down, that is, with
the gourd towards the ceiling (and PLEASE watch for those drop ceilings!)
and continue shaking. Again, there'll be quite a bit of material that has
been rattling around inside. Keep up the shaking, turning it every possible
way until you no longer hear the rattling. There will always be some small
pieces that escape this process, but it's a good habit to do this at least
once a year.
I did this once with a second-hand Afghani rabab (that I had the pleasure of
watching go through an X-ray machine, since it was carry-on luggage!). I
was amazed to turn up, in addition to the usual small wood chips, at least
half a dozen broken-off tuning pegs!
Please pass this tip on to friends, students, etc.
James
Rms2020
I have brought over a dozen South Indian Veenas within the last thirty years
and have had absolutely no problems with the customs people.
Meena Shanker
Nick Haynes
(Rms2020) wrote:
My teacher had one mridangam that UK customs drilled/chiselled a hole in
the side of. I think I would offer to take it apart for them rather than
let this happen --- but then I know a man who could put it back together
again!
However this does seem rare: he travels often and many visiting artists
come here.
Best Wishes,
N i c k
Nick Haynes.
Tabalji
Stringed instruments generally do not raise any suspicions. They go over
everything with the dogs before you ever see them and if they dogs give it the
ok then you are usually fine. Drums however do raise suspicions. I do not
know why but I suspect it is because Indian Drums are unusually heavy.
Incidentally if you have wondered what the stuff rattling around on the inside
is it is material shed from the inside of the kadu (gourd). Although kadus are
hard and woody in the outside they are soft and pithy on the inside. This
cases some of the pith to shed and it rattles around. This quite normal.
David Courtney
http://chandrakantha.com