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Folk Musical Instruments
There is a great variety of musical instruments which are an essential
accompaniment of folk music. Most of these are common to the
whole of Northern India. Broadly these fall into three categories:
stringed, wind and percussion instruments.
Iktara
This is a one stringed instrument which is played
with the fingers. It is made from a piece of bamboo about a metre long
with a large gourd attached to one end. The other end of the stick is
inserted in to the hollow of the gourd resonator which is covered
with hide. Before singing, the singer hums gently feeling for the right
pitch. The sound of the string keeps the drone of his basic note. This
instrument is generally used by Jogis.
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Dotara
This is like a two stringed Iktara and serves the same purpose.
Sarangi
This is a bow instrument because it is played with a bow, which
is made of long strand or strands and takes a prominent place as accompaniment
to the main singer. It is about 60 cm long made by hollowing out a single
block of wood. For tuning, four pegs are fixed in it, to set the
strings according to the pitches of twelve-semi-tones. Some Sarangis have
thirty-five to forty sympathetic strings running under the four main strings.
It has been a folk instrument used by the common people, particularly
the Bards for their simple music. In the seventeenth century, the Sarangi
was considered suitable accompaniment to the new style of classical music.
In Haryana, this instrument is seen with some wandering Bards as an accompaniment
to singing their folk songs. It is also used during a Swang performance.
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Been
This is mostly used by snake charmers. Two small bamboo pipes
are fixed in a hollow gourd. One keeps the drone of the basic note, producing
a monotone and other one is used for producing tunes by the performer.
The player blows into the gourd and his fingers move smoothly on the finger-holes
of this double-reed instrument. It is used in many folk dance performances.
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Bansari (flute )
This is one of the earliest wind instrument called by many other popular
names like veena and murali. Seven round holes are bored in a hollow piece of
bamboo stick. There are several verities of this instrument. Some are held straight
away from the face while others are held transversely, parallel to the eye-brows as
it was used by Lord Krishna.
Shehnai
This is a common instrument, seen on occasions of marriage.
This is an 'open-air' instrument like Bansari. The modern experts have
brought to this instrument a fluidity comparable to that of a stringed
instrument.
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Shankh
This is the most ancient wind instrument known to man. In India
it is considered very sacred. It is being regarded as one of the attributes
of Lord Vishnu. Before using, the Shankh is drilled in such a way as to
produce a hole at the base taking care that the natural hole is not disturbed.
The instrument is often used in temples and sacred shrines.
It produces only a drone. In ancient times, the Shankh was used
on the battle field. The Shankh used by Lord
Krishna was called Panchajanya.
The instrument can be used to produce peculiar rhythmical effects.
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