sarangi
A bowed string instrument from North India, renowned for its ability to closely mimic the human voice.
In Depth
The sarangi has three main gut strings bowed with a heavy curved bow, plus 35-40 sympathetic strings that resonate to create a shimmering, ethereal halo of sound. The main strings are stopped with the fingernails and cuticles rather than fingertips, allowing the smooth gliding (meend) that makes the instrument sound so vocal. Once the principal accompanying instrument for vocal music, the sarangi has declined due to social stigma and the rise of the harmonium.
The sarangi is called the instrument of a hundred colours because its sympathetic strings and bowed tone can evoke almost any shade of human emotion.