Surbahar

Classification	Necked bowl lutes String instruments
Related instruments
Surbahar Rudra veena Saraswati veena Chitra veena Vichitra veena Sarod Sursingar Tambura

Surbahar, (pronunciation:[s̪ur b əhɑːr ] सुर् बहार्), (literally: "Spring Melody" in Hindi), sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of North India. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower tone. Depending on the instrument's size, it is usually pitched two to five whole steps below the standard sitar, but as Indian classical music has no concept of absolute pitch, this may vary.

Overview

The surbahar is over 130 cm (51 inches). It uses a dried gourd as a resonator, and has a neck with very wide frets, which allow a glissando of six notes on the same fret through the method of pulling. The neck is made out of tun (Cedrela tuna), or teak wood. It has four rhythm strings (cikari), four playing strings (the broadest 1 mm), and 15 to 17 unplayed sympathetic strings. There are two bridges; the playable strings pass over the greater bridge, which is connected to the tabli with small legs, which are glued in place. The sympathetic strings pass over the smaller bridge which is directly glued on the tabli. The bridgs have a slightly curved upper surface which results in a buzzing sound known as jawari, causing the string to change in length slightly as it vibrates. ^[1] The instrumentalist plays the strings using a metallic plectrum, the mizrab, which is fixed on the index finger of the player's right hand. Three plectrums are used to play the dhrupad style of alap, jor, and jhala on surbahar. In the dhrupad style, instead of performing the sitarkhani and masitkhani gats, the instrumentalist plays the slow dhrupad composition in accompaniment with pakhawaj. Some researchers believe that surbahar was invented around 1825. Surbahar was invented by Omrao Khan Beenkar and Ghulam Mohammad was his disciple. Omrao Khan Beenkar was the grandfather of Wazir Khan (Rampur) Though the invention is generally attributed to Ustad Sahebdad Khan, recent research shows that Lucknow-based sitarist Ustad Ghulam Mohammed may have been the inventor.^[2]

Notable performers

A Surbahar performance

See also

• Hindustani classical music
• Sitar

References

External links

• Surbahar.com

Video

• Surbahar videos
• Surbahar Video Performance by Beenkar Suvir Misra, Raga Chandrakauns Alaap, 10 mins
• Surbahar Video Performance by Beenkar Suvir Misra , Raga Chandrakauns Jod and Jhala, 10 mins

Indian musical instruments Percussion Chande Chenda Damaru Duggi Dhol/Sandhal Dholak Dholki Drum Edakka Ghatam Khanjira Khol Mizhav Morsing Mridangam/Mrudung Nagada Pakhavaj Parai Sambal Tabla Dagga Tavil String Ektara Electronic tanpura Dilruba/Esraj Gottuvadhyam Mohan veena Pena Rudra veena Santoor Sarangi Saraswati veena Sarinda Sarod Seni rebab Sitar Surbahar Tanpura Taus Veena Yazh Wind Bansuri Harmonium Kombu Nadaswaram Pungi Shankha Shehnai Shruti box Venu Other Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya Gamaka Indian classical music Jivari Meend