Music
Instruments
Stringed
A bright red turban on his weather beaten face, white Dhoti and white shirt,
a bow in his hand moving gracefully over the strings of his Sarangi-is a picture
of the Rajasthani Musician which is evokes the melodious and plaintive music
of Rajasthan in one's mind.
The sarangi is the most important folk musical instrument and his found
in various forms in Rajasthan. The Rawannhathha of the thori or Nayak Bhopas
is probably the earliest instruments played with a bow, and this humble instruments
could well be the precursor of the violin. It has to main two main strings and
a variable number of supporting strings, with a belly of half a coconut shell
and a body of bamboo. The bow has ghungroos (bells) attached to it.
The music is staccato and accompanied by the syncopated singing of the bhopa
and the Bhopan. No other rhythmic support is needed. The jogis of abu road area
use a smaller version of the Rawanhathha which has its two main strings tuned
to the Sa of the Indian octave and a third of steel to Pa.
The Langas use the Sindhi sarangi it is made up of four main wires, seven jharas
and seventeen tarafs. Other members of the family are the Gujaratan, Jogia and
Dhani sarangis. The Surinda favorite of the manganiyars, is a small sarangi.
The Chikara used by the Meos and Jogis of Mewat is a replica of the sarangi.
The bowing of these instruments is a skillful exercise often supported by the
sound of the ghugroos that are tied to the bow to make the beat prominent. Another
remarkable bowed instruments is the kamayacha of the Manganiyars, with its big,
circular reasnator. It is unique in that its bow moves over the sympathetic
and main strings, giving out an impressive deep, booming sound. So deeply ingrained
is the sense of tune and rhythm in the mind and ear if the folk musicians, that
they need nothing more than intuition and a highly trained ear ti tune their
instruments.
They have a ridimentary concept that or mode which they use to tune the sympathetic
strings (flat notes) and Khadi bhelna (natural notes.) The sarangis are one
of the plethora of musical instruments in use in Rajasthan. The Jantar of the
Bhopas of Dev Narainji is asin to the saraswati or Rudra Veena it has two gourds
four strings and fourteen frets. The galaleng Jogis of Dungarpur and banswara
have a twin gourded Kendru. The name kendru appears akin to the ancient Kinnari
Veena, and it has often been called the Keengri in Rajasthani literature. The
Chautara also called the Tandoora is a manipulated with the other hand.
The Ektaara is also a single string instrument, but it is mounted on the belly
of a gourd attached to a body made of bamboo. In Western Rajasthan, a simple
instruments called the Morchang is very popular. The Ghoralio is comon among
the Bhils Garasiyas and the Kalbelias. Both these instruments resemble the jewish
harp.
Some Instruments are as Follows:
»
Stringed
»
Wind
»
Autophonic
»
Percussion
Rajasthan Music & Dances
: Folk Music | Music
Instruments | Folk Dances | Tribal
Music & Dances
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