CHIKARA

The chikara is a bowed stringed musical instrument from Bengal, India used to play indian folk
music. It is used by the tribal people of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Prades
BANAM

by Banam (Bhattacharya 1999)

The banam is a class of folk fiddles found among the

Santal people of North East India and Bangladesh.

Classification of the various forms of banam are diffi-

cult. Among the Santalis, Tendor Banam, Dhodro Banam,
Huka Banam and a host of other names may be applied
to them. However the Santalis tend to, classify their in-
struments according to ornamentation rather than
structural elements. Furthermore there is extreme
variety because each instrument reflects the artistic
vision of its maker.
ESRAJ

Esraj (Punjabi: ਇਸਰਾਜ (Gurmukhi); modern variant of the Dilruba (Punjabi: ਦਦਦਦਦਦਦ (Gurmukhi)) is
a Punjabi string instrument played with a bow. It is a relatively recent instrument, being only about
300 years old; primarily found in Punjab, where it is used in Sikh music and Hindustani
classical compositions, and in West Bengal.
The dilruba and its variant, the esraj, had been declining in popularity for many decades. By the
1980s, the instrument was nearly extinct. However, with the rising influence of the "Gurmat Sangeet"
movement, the instrument has been once again attracting attention.
 Sarangi

Sarangi is a common representative of vitat class of mus-

ical instruments. It has three to four main playing strings
and a number of sympathetic strings. The instrument has
no frets or fingerboard; the strings float in the air. Pitch
is determined by sliding the fingernail against the string
rather than pressing it against a fingerboard (like
violin). This instrument is extremely difficult to play, as a
consequence its popularity is on the decline. This
instrument has traditionally been associated with
the kathak dance and the vocal styles
of thumri, dadra and kheyal. It was also greatly
associated with an Indian version of the geisha tradition,
known as the tawaif.