Surbahar
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Surbahar (Hindi pronunciation: [s̪urbəhɑːr]; transl. Springtime of Notes)[1] sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower pitch. Depending on the instrument's size, it is usually pitched two to five whole steps below the standard sitar.
Overview
The surbahar is over 130 cm (51 inches). It uses a dried
The instrumentalist plays the strings using a plectrum of bent steel wire, the mizrab, which is fixed on the index finger of the player's right hand. Three plectrums are used on the first three fingers 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. At the time, the veena, which is considered a holy instrument associated with the goddess Saraswati, was only taught to descendants of veena players. The development of the surbahar was due in part to the desire to play in a lower range similar to that of the veena.
Surbahar was invented by Omrao Khan Beenkar and Ghulam Mohammad was his disciple. Omrao Khan Beenkar was the grandfather of Wazir Khan of Rampur. The invention is also attributed to Ustad Sahebdad Khan. Recent research shows that Lucknow-based sitarist Ustad Ghulam Mohammed may also have been the inventor.[2] A similar kind of instrument , known as the Mahakachhapi Vina, is also known to exist during that period.[3]
Notable performers
- Annapurna Devi (1927 - 2018)
- Imdad Khan (1848 - 1920)
- Wahid Khan
- Enayat Khan (1894 - 1938)
- Imrat Khan (1935 - 2018)
- Mushtaq Ali Khan (1911 - 1989)
- Pushparaj Koshti (born 1950) [4]
- Ashwin M. Dalvi (born 1977)[5]
- Irshad Khan
- Budhaditya Mukherjee (born 1955)
- Manilal Nag (born 1939)
- Kushal Das (born 1959)
- Rajeev Janardan (born 1967)
- Suvir Misra
- Deobrat Mishra (born 1976)
- Babu Khan
- Rameshwar Pathak (1938 - 2010)
See also
References
- ^ "Sitar, Surbahar and Tanpura - Toss Levy". Tosslevy.nl. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Ragascape". Ragascape.com. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "Mahakachhapi Vina". Museums of India. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "CUR_TITLE". Sangeetnatak.gov.in. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ "About Dr. Ashwin M. Dalvi". nadsadhna.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2023.