The Music and Musical Instruments of Southern India and the Deccan c13.s1.2

c13.s1.2

A S regards the construction of the instrument, I shall first quote the Râjah Sir S. M. Tagore's own words.¹ “We have hit upon another method to ascertain the nature and position of the s'rutis. The method is as follows:—Take a sitar or vina, measure the distance between Shaja (C) of the Madhya (middle) octave, and Shaja (D) of the next higher octave, in the C of the Tara octave. Divide the space between these two C's by putting a dot or line in the middle ; put a dot or line on either extremity ; place the note F over the dot or line in the middle, the note C on the other extremity of the first half portion of the divided space, and the note higher C on that of the second half portion ; sub-divide the first half portion into *nine* equal and the second half portion into *thirteen* equal parts, and put a dot or line to mark off each sub-division. . . Excluding the line marking higher C, there will be in all twenty-two lines. Each of these will represent a s'ruti.”