Thursday, March 28, 2024
Rajasthan

Arts

Music

Folk Musical Instruments

The Ravanhattha, ektara and sarangi are the stringed instruments used with folk-songs. The Sarangi serves as an echo of the singer. The adoption of this instrument by the folk instrumentalists bring the folk songs of Rajasthan very close to classicism.

The Ravanhattha is a stringed which is used by minstrel himself. The ghunghroos tied to the rod, which rub the string also give tal to the song.

The Kamaichi is another stringed instrument with twenty seven strings. Its shape is quite different from the Sarangi-veena. It is worn round the neck and played in standing posture in certain areas of Mewar. The Rawaz is another instrument used by the Raos and the Bhats in Mewar. It has twelve strings and is played with a nakha instead of rod.

The tanduro, veena, chantaro or nishan are also stringed instruments used by folk musicians. Nishan is very popular among the devotees of Ramdeoji.

There is a variety of instruments played by the mouth including the bansuri, algoza ( a pair of flutes operating as one), satara, shehnai, toto, pungi (played by snake chambers and jogis), nad, bankia, conch and singi (used by mendicants and fakirs). Madal, mridang, changri, naubhat, dhumso, dafra, khanjari, dhibko, apang, matki and damru are also Tal instruments.