Category Archives: Instruments

Most instruments, though definitely not ugly (just look at the sitar) are more made for function, rather than form. The taus (Persian for peacock) however, seems to have been made with the opposite purpose in mind. Just look at it! The taus is said to have been invented when the Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh,Continue reading “The Taus”

“What?” you might be asking, “this is a surbahar? It looks like a regular sitar! Cheaters! I was promised a new instrument not an old one! Quacks! I want my money back!” But fear not, gentle reader. This is, in fact, a surbahar, despite all evidence to the contrary. This instrument, which is also sometimesContinue reading “The Surbahar”

When it comes to Pakistani classical music, few mention the pakhavaj. Now, of course, all of you must be clamouring to know what exactly a pakhawaj is, but, patience, please. We need to rant first. So, coming back to our original topic, the tabla, the dhol, even the dholak; all of these are much moreContinue reading “The Pakhawaj”

No-one is quite sure what the sarangi’s name is meant to mean. Some argue that it comes from the Persian for ‘three strings’, while others claim that it means ‘a hundred colours’, a reference to its incredible musical range. Whatever it means, one cannot deny that that very name is now synonymous with Pakistani classicalContinue reading “The Sarangi”

Hmm, well, it has a rather curious name, to be sure. Most instruments have names whose etymologies are extremely hard to trace, leading to a delightful (well, only for those who are interested in such things) research spree as one races from one obscure source to the other. The ektara, on the other hand, hasContinue reading “The Ektara”