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Sikh Instruments or saaj - Coggle Diagram
Sikh Instruments or saaj
Rabab
3 main strings, 14 synthetic strings
Created by Guru Nanak dev ji (the first sikh guru), played by Bhai Mardana (the first sikh).
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Meend element is very minimal, but still is present
Usually accompanied with vocal singing, by far the most extinct of all.
Stories of history
Nobody can create guru Nanak's rabab. In history books, it is described as an instrument with not 4 but 5 strings made out of silk with a drop-like shape at the bottom. The closest rababs to replicate this are the kashmiri and the firandia rabab, both having 4 strings and drop and a round shape at the bottom respectively.
The firandia rabab, although advertised as the exact rabab the guru used, was invented in the 19th century, along the same time as bollywood was introduced in India. This has stirred a lot of controversy. Bhai Baldeep says that the firandia rabab was just created as an effort to revive this culture but by no means is it guru Nanak's original rabab.
Dilruba
4 main strings, 15 sympathetic strings along with 20 heavy metal frets. The fretboard design is inspired by the sitar
Created by guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth sikh guru.
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Stories
Controversial opinions say that the dilruba was not actually invented by Guru Gobind Singh ji but was actually invented in Persia, from which the guru adopted it into the sikh culture.
In sikh lores or Saakhis, the dilruba was said to be created after a complaint from the sikhs in the military, who said that the taus was too heavy to be carried on horseback
Sarangi
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5 main strings, 100 sympathetic strings.
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Created by Ravana, the king of lanka and was later adopted into the sikh culture by guru Hargobind Singh Ji, the sixth sikh guru.
Stories
It is said that the sarangi was created by Ravana, the king of lanka for meditative purposes and when his court of generals first heard the instrument, they christened it with the name of the instrument of 100 colours.
Taus
4 main strings, 15 sympathetic strings along with 20 heavy metal frets. The fretboard design is inspired by the sitar
Created by guru Hargobind Singh Ji, the sixth sikh guru.
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Stories
The taus was named after the mughal throne of the time of Aurangzeb named takht-e-taus which was made with studded diamonds, emeralds, rubies and many more gems. After building his castle higher than the mughal emperor (which was considered a crime), Guru Hargobind Ji also made this instrument which he said was much more valuable than any expensive throne he could ever buy.
Tales say that the military general of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's army carried this instrument to war when the sikhs were fighting the mughals in the battle of chamkaur. It is said that in his last moments, he was killed while fighting and singing asa di vaar which is a prayer of war usually sung in the morning.
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Saranda
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5 main strings, 30 sympathetic strings.
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Created by the 5th guru, guru Arjan dev ji
Stories
Even though the sarangi can very well be played solo, it was generally accompanied with the old instrument of the dhadd which was used by punjabi folk singers of that time.
It is from that time that the name dhaddi originates which means people who play or played the popular folk instrument of the dhadd