|
Origin of the Sarod
The origin of Sarod is not exactly
known and there is constant debate among the musicians and
scholars on its origin. Some believe that it has developed from
the Persian rabab that entered India in
the eleventh century with the gazhnavid occupation. While some
other consider it the descendent of Afghan or Kabul rabab that
came to India from Afghanistan in early Mogul period. Some also
believe that Sarod is an amalgamation of the ancient chitra
veena, the medieval rebab and modern sursingar. Modifications and
changes to the Sarod continued until the end of the nineteenth
century when it acquired its present recognizable form. Today
Sarod has secured an important place in Hindustani Classical
Music for its deep and rich tone and a distinctive sound.
Description of the Sarod
The
modern Sarod is made of wood with one end being rounded and
covered with parchment. Its overall shape is like a pendulum-
pointed and thin on top, at the peg box, and full and round at
the bottom, the resonator. There are six main metallic strings
fastened tom pegs at the neck of the instrument. In total there
are 17 metal strings that run along the steel faceplate and over
movable frets. There are 8 played strings, 2 drone strings and 7
sympathetic strings. It is a fretless instrument played with a
triangular plectrum cut out of coconut shell and laminated with
shellac.
The body of the Sarod
The body
or shell of the Sarod is carved from a single block of wood,
preferably teak, but tun and sagwan are also used. Body of the
Sarod is can be divided into three parts.
Peg box - The pegbox is a solid piece of wood, joined to
the neck and curves slightly to the back. It is almost one foot
long and about seven inches in diameter. Tuning pegs of the main
playing strings are put on either side. In some Sarod a metal
resonator is fixed at the bottom of the peg box.
Fingerboard – the fingerboard is hollow from the inside
and narrower near the peg box, but gradually becomes broader near
the resonator. It is covered first with a thin, wooden board and
then with a thin stainless steel sheet. It is about
one-and-a-half feet long. On the right side of the fingerboard
pegs of sympathetic strings are fixed in two rows.
Resonator - This is round in shape and is about nine
inches in diameter. This portion is covered with a very thin
parched goatskin. Upon the middle portion of this resonator a
bridge made of bone about three inches long is fixed. The main
playing strings rest upon the bridge in their respective grooves,
but the sympathetic strings pass through the holes drilled in the
bridge.
Playing Sarod
The
sarod is a fretless instrument that demands certain technique to
play. The tension of the strings is also considerable, as the
strings must be pressed hard against the fingerboard to play the
instrument. It is usually played with a plectrum held in the
right hand while the fingers of the left hand are used to play
the notes. There are two main styles used by artists to play
sarod. Some uses the tip of fingernails to stop the strings;
certain strength and stiffness of the fingernails is a
prerequisite for accuracy of pitch. The other uses a combination
of the nail and the fingertip to stop the strings against the
fingerboard. The first technique which uses the fingernails
produces a ringing tone, while the fingertip technique produces a
flatter tone.
Care and Caution
1. To protect
Sarod from moisture or general wear and tear keeps it in a case
or under a cloth cover.
2. The string of Sarod should be changed regularly according to
the use. Sarod played daily should have all the strings changed
every 3 months, and
the main four playing strings, every month.
3. To maintain the shine rub the finish with a soft dry cloth
after every playing. The strings should be wiped of after every
use.
4. Do not use
furniture polish for shining your Sarod. The fret plate should be
polished with a soft cloth after every use, to keep it clean and
smooth for
slides.
5. Sarod Jawari should only be done by a professional.
6. The skin and
pegs are very fragile and must be protected form any kind of
knock.
7. The Sarod skin is sensitive to changes of climate. It will be
tighter in the summer months and looser in the winter. The skin
will need to be changed
after time, depending on how much use it
gets, and the climatic conditions.
8. Sarod pegs can begin to slip after a year or so of use. They
should be lightly chalked with carpenters or sidewalk chalk but
not with blackboard
chalk.
|
