Category Archives: Instruments

We hope that all of you know about the dhol, that lovable cuddly little red wolf-like creature … oops, it seems that we picked the wrong dhol. This is what happens when you have too many homonyms in one place! Going on to more serious matters, let’s talk about the real dhol. ‘Door ke dholContinue reading “The Dhol”

At Save the Sitar, we have covered many diverse types of instruments, from sarangis to tablas. Continuing this tradition, today we will cover an unusual yet amazing instrument: the matka, an instrument which may appear to the uninitiated as a … pot?! What’s this? We cover instruments, not cooking utensils! Or at least we thinkContinue reading “The Matka”

The fingers dance in a blur of motion, whistling through the air. The audience leans in, intent not to lose a moment. A swift succession of sounds fills the air as the intoxicating rhythm pulls you in. The audience rise to their feet, swaying in time with the beat. In and out of this beautifulContinue reading “The Tabla”

Once, there was an instrument which though beloved in its native home, the subcontinent, was completely unknown elsewhere. Gifted players would rise to the court scene and be showered with wealth and gifts by the king … if he were musically minded that is. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb completely banned all types of music, forcingContinue reading “The Sitar”

Many will be surprised to learn that the harmonium which we know today has an extremely interesting and intriguing history. The harmonium was invented by the Danish scientist Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein in 1780, a professor of physiology in the University of Copenhagen. Incidentally, his experiments with electricity inspired the famous Gothic horror novel, Mary Shelley’sContinue reading “The Harmonium”