Swarabat

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

'Lady playing swarabat'. Painting by Raja Ravi Varma.
Instrument similar to swarabat in relief at Amaravati Stupa in southern India, 2nd century CE.

The Swarabat, Swarbat or Swaragat is a rare

chordophone, lute family of musical instruments, and is closely related to the veena and yazh
instruments of the ancient South Asian orchestral ensemble.

Etymology

Although popularly known as Swarabat, its correct pronunciation is Swaragat.

Swara from Sanskrit connotes a note in the successive steps of the octave, ghat refers to steps leading down towards a river, while bhat in the language means scholar.[citation needed
]

Construction

The painter Raja Ravi Varma featured the instrument in many of his works.

Like its Carnatic cousin, the

strings pass, which are plucked with a plectrum carved out of horn. There is a resonator and a stem, both made of wood. The resonator is covered with animal hide. The frets were made from animal gut (usually a goat). The head resembles a parrot or peacock. The tuning pegs are fixed to the neck.[1][4]

Sound

Although the Swarabat features a unique construction, the range of sound delivered by it is relatively limited. It produces a timbre similar to a bass rubab and bass guitar.[1]

Use and history

Swarabat or swaragat, 1903, carved with parrot's head

The Swarabat is today a very rare string instrument used in Carnatic music, that once featured prominently as an original staple in the

Pudukottai favoured its unique bass tone accompaniment; students of the Saraswati veena were often proficient in playing the Swarabat.[6]

Old manuscripts, photographs and Swarabat instruments themselves have been preserved at museums worldwide.[7] Prolific musicians who have played it have been Palghat Parameswara Bhagavathar, Baluswami Dikshitar, the Raja Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, Veene Sheshanna, and Krishna Iyengar.[8][9]

See also

References and citations

  • Media related to Swarabat at Wikimedia Commons
  • Padma Bhushan Prof. P. Sambamurthy (2005). "History of Indian Music". The Indian Music Publishing House, 208-214.
  • Photo of Met museum
  • India9.com
  1. ^ a b c "Chapter 3: Stringed Instruments Thesis" (PDF). Shodhganga. Shodhganga. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Royal Carpet: Indian Classical Instruments". www.karnatik.com. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  3. ^ Courtney, David. "Swarabat". chandrakantha.com. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Royal Carpet: Indian Classical Instruments". www.karnatik.com. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  5. ^ Music Academy (1987). "The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras". The Journal of the Music Academy, Madras. 58. Madras: 119. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  6. ^ Sambamoorthy, P. (1985). Great musicians: giving biographical sketches and critical estimates of 15 of the musical luminaries of the post-Tyagaraja period. Indian Music Pub. House. p. 36. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  7. ^ Sundaresan, P. N. (1999). "Sruti" (172–183). P.N. Sundaresan: 65. Retrieved 29 March 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ^ "Shanmukha". Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha. 10. Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha.: 34 1984. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. ISBN 9788175740372
    . Retrieved 29 March 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Swarabat&oldid=1181349759"