EVOLUTION OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR DOMINANCE IN INDIAN MUSIC
Anurupa Hazra PhD Scholar, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University Abstract Instruments are inseparable part of music and pursuing knowledge on the history and evolution of musical instruments is important. The musical instruments are of four types – a) Tata, string instruments, b) Avanaddha, skin covered hollowed instruments, c) Sushira, wind instruments and d) Ghana, solid instruments. This paper focuses on the string instrument. Synthesizing evidence from existing literature and based on discussions with experts, the paper provides information on string instrument’s invention, evolution and dominance over other instruments and influence on Indian music. The first stringed instrument invented was the hunter’s bow and thus, ‘Dhanuryantra’ is the father of all stringed instruments from the ancient period till now. There has been an evolutionary trend in Indian musical instruments from the Ancient period to the 12th or 13th century, and the continuity of the instrument’s structural variation was maintained. Read More …