In the world of music, numerous types of musical instruments can be found. Some musical instruments can be easily recognized by their sound while others evoke an entirely different range of emotions. The sarangi is recognizable for another unique reason; its sound can seem almost human. It produces a rich, haunting and soulful voice that can laugh, weep and sigh.
At first glance, it appears to be a wooden instrument played with a bow. But behind its compact body, dozens of strings lie within it, making every note echo with a warm, layered buzz. Fingers do not press down on the soft pad, instead nails slide on the side like tears on skin. Its history is equally intriguing. It travelled through a large musical environment, experienced with periods, eventually emerged as an important instrument of Hindustan classical music.
To understand sarangi, we must ask why it produces such human voices including vocal shakes and sliding tones, better than almost any other instrument, why its construction is so complicated, how musicians control it, how society perceived it, and how exceptional performers made a place in Indian music.
1._What is a Sarangi?
The sarangi is a bowed string instrument carved in wooden boxlike body which is particularly associated with musical traditions of North India and Nepal. Unlike some instruments like the sitar whose strings are plucked and fretted, it produces twangy sounds, while the sarangi is a bowed fretless string instrument that mimics the human voice.
A sarangi is a traditional, short necked, string instrument which has a body of wood covered in skin. It is famous for producing soulful sounds that mimics the voice of humans. This instrument has set of 3 main playing strings (traditionally made by the gut of goat) along with additional sympathetic metal strings.
The sarangi belongs from a larger family of chordophones where the musical instruments produce sound from vibrating strings. The bowed string musical instrument- Sarangi is widely used in folk songs of Rajasthan that makes extremely melodious sound. It is used by the Langas of Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jogis of Marwar.
2._Historical Origin of Sarangi
According to Hindu mythology, Gandharvas, a celestial being who are known as the divine musicians or singers in Indian religions like Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. In Hinduism, they are regarded as demi gods who serves as musicians of the devas. Males are divine singers and musicians while the females are divine dancers. Inn the Hindu mythology, it is depicted in epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana that acts as the messenger between gods and humans with their ability to share messages or stories through emotions of music. As per stories, Lord Brahma bestowed Gandharvas from the court of gods with an instrument- sarangi, which was later brought in human realm.
It started originating in South Asia around the 13th century.
In the history of Nepal, Gaine or Gandharva were a community of occupational caste musicians who appointed to be as the messengers and entertainers. Traditionally, sarangi was an instrument to compliment their way of storytelling the tales.
In ancient time with limited mode of communication, Gaines travelled from villages to villages to sang or narrate the praise of kings, the legendary battle tales or everyday life of people. Apart from messengers they were also entertainers who were an integral part of cultural or religious events like Dashain. The Gaine or Gandharva’s played an important role in preserving the history.
It started evolving from the folk songs of Rajasthan and some part of central Asia. It had become an important to accompany with the vocals in music during Mughal era then later it broke through as a solo concert instrument. The word ‘Sarangi’ means hundred colors, it reflects the wide range off its tonal expressions. It was designed to mimic the human vocal ornaments like gamak and meend very closely which is not possible with any other musical instrument. But still the sarangi players held a lower social status than the main vocalists.
3._The Evolution of Sarangi
The traditional idea of oral culture has now been replaced with the easy digital and physical connectivity. As the time changes, certain modifications have been made in sarangi. Though the most of the part in making sarangi is still tradition and particularly handmade. But there have been some alternations to make it fit in modern time period. Some changes like the replacement of traditional gut strings with modern nylon or metal strings and replacement of traditionally horse tail bow with the nylon string.
In the recent years, Indian and Nepali music has been incorporating traditional and folk musical instruments. With the rise Nepali band, like Kutumba, traditional instruments like Sarangi have found its own platform.
4._Construction and Physical Structure
The body of sarangi is made from a single block of hard wood, usually of tun. Tun is seasoned for a year and treated with geru (red ochre) dissolved in water to restore its natural color and give it a natural shine.
The common length of sarangi is usually 64-67 cm long. It is majorly divided into three main parts. The belly (pet or pasli) which is hollowed in front, the neck (chest or chati) and the head (brain or magaz) which consists of two peg boxes hollowed out from the back. The wooden body forms the sound box for this instrument. The hollow interior amplifies and enriches the vibrations made by the strings.
The upper layer of the soundbox is covered with a traditional cover made by the thin membrane of goat skin, which vibrates when the strings are played. A sarangi has three main strings, traditionally made of gut (modern nylon or metal strings in present) along with extra dozens thinner sympathetic strings. These sympathetic strings vibrate in response with the played notes on main strings and it flows with the distinctive resonance.
Unlike many string instruments, the sarangi does not have any conventional frets. The player presses the neck against the neck using their fingernails or the side of fingers, rather than the fingertips like the water cascading down the hill.
The bridge is present at the centre of the soundboard, over the skin covered chamber. It supports the main strings and transfers the vibrations to the soundboard.
The upper part of the instrument, the head, contains two pegboxes that the allows the strings to be tightened and loosened as per the requirements.
The bow which is traditionally made by the horse tail (nylon string in present) by forming a curved bow of strung. It is drawn across the playing strings to produce vibrations with melodious sound.
5._How the Sarangi Produces Sound?
The sarangi produces sound from the vibration of its strings. It is played with a bow which is drawn across the main strings. As the bow moves over the string, the friction causes the vibration. These vibrations are then passed on the bridge.
The bridge plays the important part in the production of sounds. It transfers the vibrations to the main soundboard, which is covered with a thin piece of skin by gut of goat, begins to vibrate as well. These vibrations spread through wooden body. The hollow makes it a resonating chamber and produces louder and fuller sounds.
Another interesting part of the sarangi is it sympathetic strings. These strings are not usually played directly by pressing with fingers, but they start vibrating when certain matching notes are played on the main string. This gives the instrument more enriched and amplified sound. The player can change the notes by pressing their fingernails or side of the finger as desired. The sarangi doesn’t have usual frets like other string instruments.
In this way, the sound of sarangi can be produced through the combined action of the bow, strings, bridge, soundboard, and resonating chamber.
6. Role of Sarangi in Indian Classical Music
The sarangi has an important place in Indian classical music, particularly in the Hindustani tradition. Its sound is one of the reasons it has been closely associated with vocal music. The instrument can produce very soft, low, deep and expressive tones, which can sometimes resemble the qualities of a human voice. Because of it one can unravel the emotions and subtle movements of a singer’s performance quite effectively.
In the ancient time, the sarangi has been used mainly as an accompanying instrument for vocalists. A sarangi player can follow the singer’s melody and support the performance without suppressing the voice. It can also produce many of the delicate movements between notes that are important in Indian classical music. This makes it suitable for expressing ragas and their different moods.
Apart from accompanying singers, the sarangi is also performed as a solo concert instrument. In a solo performance, the musician gets the opportunity to explore its wide range of tones, melodic phrases and expressive vibrations.
Although the sarangi faced a period when it was less appreciated compared with some other classical instruments Several musicians helped to establish it as a respected solo instrument. Today, it continues to be valued for its distinctive voice-like quality and its ability to express emotions. Thus, the sarangi is not merely an accompaniment to Indian classical music; it is an instrument capable of expressing the depth and subtlety of the musical tradition in its own very unique way.
7._Challenges and Difficulties faced by Sarangi players
Learning and playing the sarangi is not a child’s play. Although the instrument has a great melodious and expressive sound, it requires a deal of patience, practice and control. One of the mojor difficulty faced by players is handling the bow properly. The player has to maintain the bow with the right pressure and movement to produce a clear and expressive sound. Even a small change in pressure can change the whole the quality of the note.
Another challenging part is the technique used to play the strings as many other string instruments, the sarangi is generally played by pressing the strings with the fingernails or side of the fingers rather than the fingertips. This technique requires accuracy because the player has to find the correct position for each note without the help of frets. Sarangi doesn’t have any frets. Developing this control takes considerable time, regular practice and immense patience.
Tuning the instrument can also be demanding because a sarangi has several sympathetic strings along with its main playing strings. Each string needs to be properly tuned so that the instrument produces the desired combination of notes and resonance in the soundboard.
Maintaining the instrument also requires proper care because its soundboard and other parts are sensitive to changes in handling and environment.
For a learner, another difficulty is simply the amount of practice needed to become comfortable with the instrument. Making the right tone is only the beginning; a player must gradually learn to control pitch, bow movement, rhythm and expression altogether. Despite these difficulties, dedicated players continue to learn and perform the sarangi instrument because of its unique sound and expressive possibilities and of course because of self-resilience.
Pandit Ram Narayan and The rise of The Sarangi
The history of sarangi took an important turn in the twentieth century, when several musicians like Pandit Ram Narayan brought its place from a traditional musical instrument to a position of solo classical instrument.
For a very long time, the sarangi was mainly used to accompany the vocalists. Although its human-like sound was highly expressive, it was not commonly treated as a major solo instrument. Until, Pandit Ram Narayan helped change this perception through his remarkable performances and dedication to the instrument.
He developed a distinctive style of solo sarangi and demonstrated that the instrument could express a raga independently, without simply accompanying any vocalist. His performances in India and abroad introduced the sarangi with a much wider audience. As a result, the instrument gradually gained great recognition within Hindustani classical music.
Other talented musicians also contributed to the development and popularity of the sarangi. Like, Ustad Bundu Khan was an important figure in the earlier generation and was highly respected for his mastery in this instrument. His playing helped establish the sarangi’s place within the classical tradition. Ustad Sultan Khan later became another prominent name linked with this very instrument. Known for his expressive style, he performed both in classical music as well as in collaborations with musicians from different musical backgrounds, helping the sarangi reach audiences beyond its traditional setting.
Musicians such as Ustad Abdul Latif Khan, Ustad Sabri Khan and Ustad Ashiq Ali Khan also contributed to the rich and varied tradition of sarangi playing.
The efforts from these musicians gradually changed the position of the sarangi. From being regarded mainly as an accompanying instrument, it became increasingly recognized as a capable solo instrument with its own unique identity. Pandit Ram Narayan’s contribution stands out in this journey, but the rise of the sarangi was ultimately the result of the dedication and perseverance of many generations of musicians who continued to perform, teach and develop its traditions.
Conclusion
The sarangi is much more than just a traditional musical instrument in our musical tradition. From its distinctive construction to its rich, human-like voice, every part of the instrument contributes to its unique character. Its role in Indian classical music shows how deeply it is rooted with the expression of melody and emotion. Although learning and playing the sarangi can be difficult and requires years of dedication and patience, musicians such as Pandit Ram Narayan, Ustad Bundu Khan and Ustad Sultan Khan helped bring greater recognition to the instrument and represented its potential as a solo instrument. The sarangi therefore, represents an important part of India’s musical heritage. Its sound carries both the richness of tradition and the creativity of the musicians who continued to keep this remarkable instrument alive in our generation.
By: Priya Raj
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