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 Rudra veena | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Rudra vīnā, Been, Bin |
| Classification | String instrument |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 311.222 (Truestick zither: instruments in which sound is produced by one or more vibrating strings, which consist solely of a string bearer or a string bearer with a resonator that is not integral to the instrument, with a string bearer shaped like a bar (bar zither), has a rigid and inflexible string carrier (stick zither), has no curved or flexible end (true stick zither), has more than one resonator gourds.) |
| Musicians | |
| Asit Kumar Banerjee,Anant Bedekar,Bahauddin Dagar (b. 1970),Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (1929–1990),Mohammed Khan Faridi,UstadShamsuddin Faridi Desai (1936–2011),Zahid Faridi Desai,Hindraj Divekar (1954–2019),Jyoti Hegde,R.V. Hegde (b. 1953),Ustad Abid Hussain Khan, UstadAsad Ali Khan (1937–2011),Bande Ali Khan (1826–1890),Jamaluddin Khan,Murad Khan,Naubat Khan,Omrao Khan,Rajab Ali Khan,Wazir Khan (Rampur),Zahid Khan,Krishnarao Kholapure,Sharada Mushti,Madhuvanti Pal (b. 1992),Dattatreya Rama Rao Parvatikar (1916–1990),Bindu Madhav Pathak (1935–2004),Shrikant Pathak,Peter Row (1944–2018),P.D. Shah (1911–1975),Carsten Wicke (b. 1970) | |
| Builders | |
| Kanailal & Brother,Kolkata | |
| More articles or information | |
| Veena,Saraswati veena,Vichitra veena,Chitra veena,Pinaka vina,Ālāpiṇī vīṇā | |
TheRudra veena (Sanskrit:रुद्र वीणा) (also spelledRudraveena[1] orRudra vīnā[2])—also calledBīn in North India[3]—is a large pluckedstring instrument used inHindustani Music, especiallydhrupad.[2] It is one of the major types ofveena played in Indian classical music, notable for its deep bass resonance.[4] Oral Tradition ascribe the instrument toShiva, principal deity within Hinduism. The rudra veena is seen in temple architecture predating theMughals. It is also mentioned in court records as early as the reign ofZain-ul Abidin (1418–1470),[3] and attained particular importance amongMughal court musicians.[3] BeforeIndependence, rudra veena players, as dhrupad practitioners, were supported by theprincely states; after Independence and thepolitical integration of India, this traditional patronage system ended.[5] With the end of this traditional support, dhrupad's popularity in India declined, as did the popularity of the rudra veena.[5] However, in recent years, the rudra veena has seen a resurgence in popularity, driven at least partly by interest among non-Indian practitioners.[5][6]
The name "rudra veena" comes fromRudra, a name for the LordShiva;rudra vina means "the veena of Shiva"[3] (compareSaraswati veena).[3] Lord Shiva's inspiration for creating the Rudra Veena is often attributed to his desire to communicate the profound cosmic vibrations and divine rhythms that govern the universe. According to legend, the instrument was created to convey the deep, transcendental sounds and melodies that resonate with the essence of creation and destruction. The Rudra Veena represents the primal sound (Nada) and is meant to express the profound spiritual truths and the divine presence in the universe. The curved shapes can be seen as representing the cyclical nature of time and the cosmic cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution. The instrument's form and structure are a manifestation of the divine rhythm and harmony of the universe that Lord Shiva embodies.
It is also stated that Lord Shiva created the rudra veena after being inspired by the beauty of Goddess Parvati as she lay in repose.Another story states Ravana created the instrument as a tribute to Lord Shiva.[7]
The North Indian vernacular name "bīn" (sometimes written "bīṇ") is derived from the preexisting root "veena," the term generally used today to refer to a number of South Asian stringed instruments.[3] While the origins of "veena" are obscure, one possible derivation is from a pre-Aryan root meaning "bamboo" (possibly Dravidian, as in the Tamil veṟam, "cane," or South Indian bamboo flute, thevenu), a reference to early stick or tube zithers[3]—as seen in the modern bīn, whose centraldandi tube is still sometimes made from bamboo.[2]
The rudra veena is classified either as astick zither[2] ortube zither[8][9] in theSachs-Hornbostel classification system. The veena's body (dandi) is a tube ofbamboo orteak between 137 and 158 cm (54 and 62 in) long, attached to two largetumbaresonators made fromcalabash gourds.[3][9] Thetumbas on a rudra veena are around 34 to 37 cm (13 to 15 in) in diameter; while veena players once attachedtumbas to thedandi with leather thongs, modern instruments use brass screw tubes to attach thetumbas.[3]
Traditionally, the bottom end of thedandi, where the strings attach below the bridge (jawari), is finished with a peacock carving.[3] This peacock carving is hollow, to enhance the resonance of the instrument.[10] This hollow opens into the tube of thedandi, and is covered directly by the mainjawari.[10] The other end of the instrument, holding most or all of the pegs, is finished with a carvedmakara.[10] Like the peacock at the other end and thedandi tube connecting them, the makarapegbox is also hollow.[10]
The rudra veena has twenty-one to twenty-four moveable frets (parda) on top of thedandi.[3][5][9] These frets are made of thin plates of brass with flat tops but curved wooden bases to match the shape of thedandi, each about two to four centimeters (0.75-1.5 inches) high.[3][6] While these frets were once attached to the instrument with wax, contemporary veena players use waxed flax ties to attach the frets.[9][4][3] This allows for players to adjust the frets to the individual microtones (shruti) of araga.[9] By pulling the string up or down alongside the fret, the veena player can bend the pitch (meend) by as much as a fifth.[3]
A modern rudra veena has a total of seven or eight strings: four main melody strings, two or threechikari strings (which are used in rhythmic sections of the rag to delineate or emphasize the pulse, ortaal), and one drone (laraj) string.[3][9] These strings are made of steel or bronze, and run from the pegs (and over the nut if coming from the pegbox) down to the peacock, passing over thejawari near the peacock.[10] A rudra veena will have threejawari; a main one covering an opening on the hollow peacock, and two smaller ones on the sides of the peacock, supporting thechikari and drone strings.[10] Thesejawari and other strings supports are traditionally made ofSambar stagantler; however, India has banned trade in Sambar deer antler since 1995, due to the deer's declining population and vulnerable status.[10][11] Strings are tuned by turning the ebony pegs to tighten or loosen the strings; the antler string supports can be moved for fine tuning.[10]
Unlike European stringed instruments, where strings are almost always tuned to the same notes on all instruments—a moderncello, for example, will usually have its open strings tuned toC2 (twooctaves belowmiddle C), followed by G2, D3, and then A3—the rudra veena follows Hindustani classical practice of amovable root note or tonic (moveable do). The four melody strings are tuned to thema a fifth below the tonic; the tonic (sa); thepa a fifth above the tonic; and thesa an octave above the tonic.[3][4] Thus, if the lowestma string was tuned to D2, then the four melody strings would be tuned to D2, A2, E3, and A3; if the lowestma string was instead tuned to B♭1, then the four melody strings would be tuned to B♭1, F2, C3, and F3[3]
Its origin is undated; however the instrument is known to be ancient enough and is linked toShiva.[12]Therudra veena declined in popularity in part due to the introduction in the early 19th century of thesurbahar, which allowedsitarists to more easily present thealap sections of slowdhrupad-styleragas. In the 20th century,Zia Mohiuddin Dagar modified and redesigned the rudra veena to use bigger gourds, a thicker tube (dandi), thicker steel playing strings (0.45-0.47 mm) and closedjavari that. This produced a soft and deep sound when plucked without the use of anyplectrum (mizrab). The instrument was further modified as theshruti veena byLalmani Misra to establish Bharat'sShadja Gram and obtain the 22shrutis.[13]
![Ca. 1605. Portrait of Naubat Khan by Ustad Mansur, Mughal School ca. 1605, British Museum, London.[14] The instrument is depicted with two strings.](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWork_of_Ustad_Mansur%2c_British_Museum.jpg)
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