The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c11.164

c11.164

The three-stringed instrument to the left of the plate is the Sârînda, a bowed instrument common in Bengal. The decoration and carving are characteristic, although rough. The Sârînda is not a very high-class instrument, but is very popular with the lower classes. The tuning is like that of the chikâra, and the strings are of gut or silk. The bow used with it is that shown. The chief peculiarity of the Sârînda consists in the way that the belly, which is of parchment, is put on. As will be seen by the plate, it is made to cover only the lower part of the body, leaving the upper half quite open.