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 CURRENT
ISSUE AUGUST 5, 2002 |
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MUSIC: DYING INSTRUMENTS
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| Forgotten Strains |
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"More
instruments, handed down generations, are threatening to become history".
By S. Sahaya Ranjit 
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NAGASWARAM: THIRUVIZHA JAYASHANKAR
A premier wind pipe of Carnatic music, it is accorded the high status
of Mangala Vadyam since time immemorial. This double-reeded instrument,
made of wood, has two parts: a conical tube and a metal bell. The
tube enlarging downwards with a horn-like portion at the end, is fitted
with a metal bell. It has seven finger and five vent holes. The double
reed called aku acts as a valve, fixed to a metal staple and inserted
in the tube. Spare reeds with a wooden needle for adjusting the reed
is kept with the instrument hanging from the stape. The accompanying
percussion instrument is Thavil. Occasionally, thalam, the large cymbals
are also played with the nagaswaram. The instrument is closely identified
with temples and religious events. Jayashankar learnt the art of playing
the Nagaswaram from his father Thiruvizha Raghava Panicker. He is
a recipient of the Sangeet Nataka Akademi Award. |
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Mohammad Ali ( Sursingar); Allaudin
Khan ( Esraj)
Esraj, a traditional instrument of central India, Bengal and Bangladesh,
is fast disappearing from the scene. Allowing a wider spectrum of
musical styles than the Dilruba, the Esraj was a favourite with Rabindranath
Tagore. The structure of Esraj and Dilruba is almost identical: both
have a medium-sized sitar-like neck, with 20 heavy metal frets. The
neck holds a long, wooden rack with 12-15 sympathetic strings. Both
feature four main strings which are bowed. All the strings are in
metal. The soundboard is a stretched piece of goatskin similar to
what is found on a sarangi. The exponent, Ustad Allaudin Khan feels
people haven't worked hard enough to propagate the merits of Esraj.
Primarily an accompanying instrument, it has been neglected. The same
is the story with the Sursagar. It is a highly evolved instrument
for accompaniment. "It dates back to 1902. There is no one teaching
Sursagar, an instrument played for the entertainment of rajas and
maharajas," says Ustad Mohammad Ali with tears in his eyes. He hopes
that his isolated effort in teaching his son Ahmed Khan will help
revive the popularity of the instrument in due course of time. |
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SARANGI: PANDIT RAMNARAYAN
This is a bowed instrument scooped out of a single log of wood. It
has three main playing strings of gut of varying thickness and 37
sympathetic steel strings. Played with a bow made of horse hair, its
strings are stopped not by the finger tips but by the base of the
nails. Used as a prominent accompaniment to vocalists in northern
Indian classical music and in solo performances. Ram Narayan, who
was born in Udaipur received his early training in music from his
father Nathuji Biawat and later studied with Udaylal, Madhav Prasad
and Abdul Wahid Khan. His style has the flavour of the Kirana gharana.
He helped sarangi achieve the status of a solo instrument. |
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SHEHNAI: Anant Lal
The premier wind pipe of north India, it comprises a wooden tube which
is narrow at the blowing end and gradually widens at the other end
which is fitted with a metal bell, also called pyala. It consists
of seven finger holes. The percussion accompanying instrument is Naqqara
or Dukkad. It is considered auspicious and is played in social and
religious ceremonies. Anant Lal, the exponent of Shehnai, who was
born in 1927 in Varanasi in a family of traditional musicians, was
initiated into the art by his his father Pandit Mithai Lal. He later
tutored under Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra. |
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