Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Fundamentals of Ancient Indian Music and Dance
Gitānuga vādya is threefold : (i) Tattva—that kind of instrumental music which manifests
laya, tāla, yati, aksara, grāma, amśa etc.
pertaining to song. (ii) Anugata-it partly manifests song. As in song, so in it
also there are pause and staying at a different sthāna. But, if there in vilambita laya in song,
the instrument is skilfully played in druta laya. (iii) Ogha-in it, at the end, the instrumentalist, imitating the
song, shows the imitation of the parts of the song by skilful and continuous strokes of the hand.
Structure and material of musical instruments'
Tata
The ālāpini viņā is as follows :
The daņda ( rod ) will be eight mușțis? long, made of bamboo, hollow, circumference two angulas, free from joints etc., smooth, uniform all through, circular, fitted with a kakubha (a crooked piece of wood at the end) two angulas long and half an angula wide, half as much in thickness, facing upwards, devoid of a patrikā, having one rod fitted with a śarku (pin or peg) the space below which will be four angulas long and high at the outer side and in the middle. The turba (i.e. the round thing at the lower end) is twelve argulas in length, four angulas at the mouth and an ivory nābhis is fixed at a distance of a quarter less than two musțis below the top. The strings, made of the entrails of sheep, will be fine, smooth, even and firm. Coconut shells (karpara), tying ropes (doraka) and bridges (sārikā) are used in its construction. According to others, the rod will be made of Khadira wood and the strings of linen or silk or Kārpāsa cotton.
1 Only the principal types under each class will be described. 2 Muști means the length of the clenched palm. 3 Navel-like cavity or piece.