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Sarangi

The sarangi is a short-necked fiddle used throughout India that is particularly important in Hindustani music of North India, having some regional variations. This example has a waisted and hollowed out body covered with animal skin and a deep neck and pegbox, usually carved from a single piece of wood. The instrument has accommodation for four main strings, but only three are present. The square pegbox has three lateral friction pegs with large, round-turned knobs holding gut strings, and a bone nut. Along the side of the neck, there are eleven smaller pegs for sympathetic brass strings (six missing) which run through small holes with fish-shaped bone eyelets on the unfretted fingerboard, and through small holes on the bone bridge. All strings are tied at the bottom tailpiece, which has a bone saddle for the sympathetic strings.

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  • Decorative elements:Indian window shape opening at the pegbox.
  • Inscriptions:
  • Hornbostel-Sachs category:321.321-7 Necked bowl lutes sounded by bowing
  • Repository:Swindon Museum & Art Gallery
  • Measurements:Height: 524mm; Width (at lower body): 170mm; Width (at pegs): 220mm; Depth: 150mm