NEW DELHI: Indian musical instruments seem to be slowly catching the fancy of music aficionados in the West.

Due to the sitar recitals of artists like Ravi Shankar, Western audiences have become interested not only in the sitar, but in the whole gamut of Indian musical instruments, however, the harmonium and the table still remain the two most popular instruments.

Although no precise estimate of exports of musical instruments 8 available, those in business claim it runs into thousands of pieces every year.

Manufactured in the capital and at satellite towns like Panipat and Meerut, harmoniums and tablas are also the most popular musical items sold across the country. Exporters of instruments say these two items seldom gather dust on their store shelves.

As in traditional Indian classical music, where quality, is proclaimed by the hall mark of “khandani” (family tradition), most of the prominent manufacturers and suppliers of instruments take pride in being the third generation in this line,

There are no formal training into these instruments and even the labor employed in manufacturing is a father to son heritage.

A master at this craft, like Yusuf, who is reputedly the best harmonium maker of the capital, is backed by two decades of experience in processing and assembling various parts that go to make a harmonium.

It may not be essential to know music but one must learn about resonance and tonal quality and should be able to recognize seasoned wood parts of an instrument and even to check the grain of the wood, “Naturally, this subtle art has to be learnt from childhood and on the shop floor itself,” Yusuf says.

For the average customer, it is the price of an instrument which becomes an indicator of its quality. Sitar prices range from a mere R5.1,30010 1,500 (about$42t0 $48) and a harmonium could cost as much as Rs. 12,000 for the professional player whereas a beginner’s model could be had for just Rs. 1,300, A pair of tablas can be had for Rs, 600 at the lowest and for a designer model one would be required to pay Rs. 9,000.

For customers who settle for the top bracket models, the designers of these handmade pieces are presented as surety. The best sitar pieces are said to be the ones manufactured by Hiren Roy of Calcutta, Delhi’s Bishan Sharma, whose pieces are available for around Rs, 8,000, has been the maker of sitars for maestros like Ustad Vilayat Khan and Pandit Ravi Shankar, Even their disciples prefer to have their personal instruments designed by the same maker, “The tonal quality and wood grain of their makes sustain a single Tote resonance for as long as 20 seconds whereas the run-of-the-mill product would barely resound for two or three seconds on each note, said one manufacturer.

There is a growing interest in that antique value of ancient piece abroad. “A sitar made by the Calcutta based Kanhai Lal, sitar makers of yore, could fetch an even Rs. 50,000 today. There are very few of them left for sale said a manufacturer.

Of late, the lesser known and virally obsolete range of Indian veins have also caught collectors’ fancy, Sarangi and Esraj, both bow instrument, are a great favorite with Japaese and French collectors. “Some of them fancy a rabab, the precursor of the sarod, but that is barely 60 or 70 Pieces in all and form one tenth of my sales in other items,” claims Inder Pal, a manufacturer of bow instruments, “Most new pieces are brought by the Sikh gurdwaras and such organizations in the USA and Canada,” he said.

Among the instruments that have taken the fancy of players in recent times is the tempura, a plucking instrument which is essential especially for classical vocalists.

‘This is being exported to Australia as well as America and the United Kingdom; I is used by people who want to do meditation. The ektara, a plucking instrument used for folk music, has also become popular.

The harmonium and the tabla, on the other hand, have a greater demand, not just among expatriate Indians,” claimed R.K. Mohan, a leading manufacturer. “Even street musicians in New York and Santiago want to have and play these instruments.” [1.A.1295].

Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1995