Kochi, Dec 20 (ANI): Folklore musicians, 'Vayali Folklore Troupe' enthralled the audience as they played near-extinct original folk songs on entirely handmade bamboo percussion instruments in India's southern Kochi city. The troupe from Thrissur district in Kerala is now gaining popularity and is known as the "Bamboo Band" locally and is receiving calls to conduct such shows in public for entertainment and special functions. The instruments for the bamboo orchestra are hand-designed, given its final form at Kattappana in Iduki district of Kerala and the raw material is procured from the pristine hills of Wayanad. In the orchestra, the flute is the lead instrument. Among other instruments are Mulam Chenda, Mulam Thudi and Mazha Mooli. The team has come up with innovative instruments as well, an example being a five-drum set, The cylindrical instruments are characteristic of the African 'Conga'. The drumhead is a calf-skin cover fastened with strings of rope while the base is left open and struck with bare hands.The annual event is being organised by the Kerala State Bamboo Mission of the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion under the Department of Commerce and Industry.