Sarangi

The word Sarangi literally means "100 colors" This instrument is capable of expressing the very soul of Indian feeling and thought (by late sir Yehudi Menuhin) and extremely difficult to play.

Sarangi is carved out from a single piece of wood usually Indian Cedar. It is squat and box-like in shape, with three gut melody strings and a baffling array of up to 40 metal tarab (sympathetic strings). The body has a goatskin face on which rests an elephant-shaped bridge of ivory or bone. The Sarangi is held vertically, neck uppermost and the strings are stopped not with the fingertips but with the backs of the nails. A characteristic feature of sarangi playing is the very smooth meend (glissandos) and gamakas (oscillations around the note) that produce sound which is very close to human sound production.

Talcum powder is used on the palms of the hands to facilitate easy sliding on the neck. The heavy bow is held with an underhand grip, the first and second fingers placed between the hair and the stick.

Sarangi is classified into "Vitat" (Stringed- bowed) category of Indian instruments.

Sarangi has been used to accompany vocal performances for centuries. These days, Sarangi is seen in a solo performance and 'Nagma' provider for tabla solo performances.

Among the current masters of the instrument are Pandit Ram Narayan and Ustad Sultan Khan; they have achieved conspicuous success despite a general decline in the fortunes of the Sarangi.

Besides the classical sarangi described above, there exists a whole extended family of instruments structurally very similar, across the whole of North India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. e.g. Rawanhatta, Jogia Sarangi (Rajasthani folk instruments).