VERY INTERESTING: SITAR

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Fun And Interesting Facts About The Sitar You Might Not Know

Dubbed as one of the most popular Indian musical instruments, the sitar, derived from the Persian word sehtar, is a guitar-like stringed instrument with a signature reverberating buzz. It’s often associated with South Asian and Middle Eastern music, frequently appearing in classic and “old-time” movies. 

The sitar is filled with historic and familial significance. Here are some of the most interesting facts about the sitar you might not have known!

1. The Sitar Is Over 700 Years Old 

Although still popular to this day, the sitar is believed to have been invented in the 13th century, over 700 years ago.It’s one of India’s oldest instruments, up there with the pakhawaj (a barrel-shaped drum), the sarangi (a non-fretted bowed instrument), and the sarod (a stringed instrument).

2. No One Knows Where the Sitar Originated From

The origins of the sitar are still up for debate to this day. Indian scholars claim it’s of Indian origins, but Western scholars believe it’s more likely to have originated from West Asia. In Muslim tradition, some scholars believe the sitar was invented—or, much accurately, developed—by Indo-Persian Sufi singer Amir Khusrow (c. 1253-1325).

Amir Khusrow is an iconic figure in the cultural history of India and is believed to have pioneered some of the major forms of Hindustani classical music. This includes the Tarana, Khyal, and Qawwali. It’s likewise likely that the sitar is an evolved version of the Tritantri veena, a long-necked lute instrument that appeared in the 10th century. Ravi Shankar, one of the world’s most famous sitarists, favors this theory. 

3. The First Sitar Only Had Three Strings

Early versions of the sitar only had three strings. In fact, the Persian word sehtar quite literally means “three-stringed.” 

During the 1700s, the sitar went from three to five strings, as was used in the Hamir-Raso by Rajasthan author Jodhraj. Today, however, the instrument can have 18, 19, 20, and even 21 strings. Despite there being up to 21 strings, the sitar player only plays one set of strings.

The “playable” set comprises five to seven played strings, which pass over rounded frets and tuning pegs at the tip of the neck. The other set contains about 13 to 15 sympathetic strings of different lengths.These strings run under the frets of the tuning pegs at the top edge of the neck.The sympathetic strings vibrate in tune with the played strings. Each set comes with its own bridge. 

4. The Sitar is Extremely Difficult to Master

The sitar is one of the hardest classical instruments to master. It’s significantly more difficult to play than a guitar. The pedagogy, the tuning, the fret count, and the entire musical system greatly differ from the latter.  Although the basics aren’t particularly back-breaking, there’s a lot of interesting “rules” players must follow. When playing the sitar, players must glide from one note to another while tuning the sympathetic strings. Even the very act of fretting is challenging.  The instrument is even tougher by the scope of the subject matter (Indian classical music). In a way, it’s like martial arts. It takes years of lessons from respected masters to truly learn and master. 

5. Ravi Shankar Is India’s Most Popular Sitar Player

In India, Ravi Shankar was (and still is) considered the most virtuosic player of the sitar, so much so that the fully decorated “instrumental style” sitar is dubbed the Ravi Shankar style. 

He, along with his famous tabla player, Alla Rakha, is believed to have been responsible for introducing the sitar in Western culture in the 1960s.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking