Baul music rests upon a small family of simple, portable instruments that mirror the wandering life of its practitioners. At the heart of this sound-world stands the ektara, a one‑stringed drone instrument that has become the most iconic emblem of the tradition. Alongside it, the dotara, a plucked lute‑like instrument, provides melodic and rhythmic support, extending the expressive range of the voice. These stringed instruments, spare yet resonant, help to sustain the contemplative mood in which the mystical poetry is sung.

Rhythm in Baul performance is carried by a cluster of hand‑held percussion instruments that invite both movement and trance. The duggi or dugi, a small drum, and the dubki, a tambourine‑like hand drum, supply a steady pulse that undergirds the singing. Small cymbals such as manjira or kartal, together with frame‑drum instruments like the khanjani, add bright accents that mark the beat and encourage communal participation. Ankle bells, or ghungur/ghunghur, often worn by performers, further weave rhythm into the very body of the singer, so that each step becomes part of the music.

In some streams of the tradition, additional instruments deepen this sonic tapestry while still preserving its essential simplicity. The khamak, with its stretched membrane and string, introduces a distinctive percussive twang that echoes both heartbeat and breath. A bamboo flute (bansuri) may occasionally join this ensemble, offering gentle melodic phrases that complement the voice rather than overshadow it. Through this modest yet evocative collection of instruments—centered on ektara and dotara, supported by hand percussion and bells—Baul song maintains a sound that is at once austere and ecstatic, perfectly suited to its inward, mystical quest.