Sarod and Sursringar
Having spent many years learning Sarod, and then some more in a keen quest for the elusive Sursringar, I only thought it appropriate to write a post describing these two beautiful instruments. They are alike, and yet, worlds apart!
There are varied accounts on the evolution of the rabab, the sarod and the sursringar. Many researchers and commentators have written articles, journal papers and books on the subject. Setting aside the history of these instruments, I would like to talk about sarod and sursringar, as they are played today, from the perspective of their design and musical capability.
Kedia Bandhu Awards
A Sarod from the author’s collection crafted by the late Mohan Lal Sharma.
Sarod is a natural evolution from Rabab (for an introduction to Rabab, read my post on Sursringar). As you can see from the picture above, Sarod has a hollow wooden body (made of tun/red cedar or teak wood). The wooden resonator is covered with hide, and the finger board is a steel plate with chromium finish. There are variations in the shape, size and number of strings of different sarod styles, but typically, a Sarod has 4 main playing strings on which the raga is played, and a number of support strings. Sarod also has sympathetic strings, which are tuned to the notes of the raga being played. This gives an additional dimension to the instrument. The appropriate sympathetic strings resonate as the notes are played on the main playing strings, adding to resonance and contributing to the harmonics. Sarod is plucked with a coconut shell plectrum, and the main playing strings are pressed by a finger nail against the metal finger board, giving clarity and sustain. Read more on Sarod.
Sursringar
A Sursringar from the author’s collection crafted by the late Mohan Lal Sharma.