Rudra veena

The Rudra Veena (Hindi: रुद्रवीणा, also called Been or Bin) is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music. As Rudra is a name for the Hindu God Shiva, Rudra Veena literally means "Veena that is dear to Lord Shiva".This instrument was used by the ascetics for meditation. One of the most ancient Indian (Vedic India) string instruments the Rudra Veena is believed to have been made by Lord Shiva by taking inspiration from the form of Goddess Parvati(Hindi: पार्वती). The Rudra Veena was so made:

The dandi is the hand of Shiva. The frets are the bangles, the strings the Kesh (Hindi: केश)(hair) of Shiva. The pegs symbolize the Sapt Rishis (Hindi: सप्त ऋषि). Peacock the vehicle of Goddess Saraswati (Hindi: सरस्वती) and the bridge itself Goddess Saraswati. The two gourds are Lord Brahma (Hindi: ब्रह्मा) and Lord Vishnu (Hindi: विष्णु).

Veena has been used since ancient times of Vedic Bharat(India) in as a general term for stringed instruments capable of producing melody and many references may be found in the Vedas(Hindi: वेद) and other ancient writings to variously named Veenas. Rudra Veena is one of other major types of veena played in Indian classical Music. The others include Vichitra Veena, Saraswati Veena and Chitra Veena. Out of these the Rudra and Vichitra Veenas are used in the Hindustani classical music of North India, while Saraswati and Chitra Veenas are used in the Carnatic music of South India."

The Rudra Veena has a long tubular body made of wood or bamboo. Two large-sized, round resonators, made of dried and hollowed gourds, are attached under the tube. Twenty-four brass-fitted raised wooden frets are fixed on the tube with the help of wax. There are 4 main strings and 3 chikari strings.

Pt.Bindu Madhav Pathak from Hubli, Karnataka who died recently was a great exponent of been. This tradition has been continued by his son Shrikant Pathak.

Zia Mohiuddin Dagar was one of the 20th century's foremost exponents of the instrument. He modified and redesigned the rudra veena using bigger gourds, a thicker tube (Dandi), thicker steel playing strings (0.45-0.47 mm) and closed Javari that.

One of the few women who play the rudra veena is Smt. Jyoti Hegde.

Indian artists

A young woman playing a Veena to a parakeet, a symbol of her absent lover. 18th century painting in the provincial Mughal style of Bengal.

Bahauddin Dagar performing in the Southern posture

Some famous Rudra Veena players are as follows:

• Hindraj Divekar
• Pt.Bindu Madhav Pathak
• Jyothi Hegde
• Bahauddin Dagar
• Pandrinath Kolhapure
• Parvatikar- Foremost amongst the 20th century artists who lived in Himalayas
• Ramachandra V. Hegde - also plays the sitar
• Suvir Misra
• Vasuki Shankar
• Zia Mohiuddin Dagar
• Shree P D Shah

Outside the Indian sub-continent

• Jeff Lewis, United States
• Philippe Bruguiere, France
• Peter Row, United States
• Benjamin Perkins, United States
• Keiji Haino, Japan

See also

• Bharatiya Sangeet Vadya (Indian Music Instruments)
• Mohan Veena

For the film, see Rudraveena (film).

External links

• Pandit Hindraj Divekar - Rudra Veena and Sitar Maestro
• Ustad Zia Mohiuddin dagar - Revived Rudra Veena as a concert instrument
• Rudraveena.org
• Asit Kumar Banerjee