Close up of a veena being played.
A portrait of Veena Dhanammal, legendary Veena player
Veena (also spelled 'vina',
Sanskrit: वीणा (vīṇā),
Tamil: வீணை,
Kannada: ವೀಣೆ ,
Malayalam: വീണ,
Telugu: వీణ) is a
plucked stringed instrument used
mostly in
Carnatic Indian classical
music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its
South Indian form is a member of the
lute
family. One who plays the veena is referred to as a
vainika.
History
The design of the veena has evolved over the years, probably from
the form seen in South Indian Medieval paintings and temple
sculpture: a string instrument with two gourd resonators connected
by a central shaft, possibly of bamboo, and held diagonally from
lap to shoulder.
Veena in South India developing from Kinnari
Veena in the 1600s was initially known as Tanjori Veena after
hereditary makers from Thanjavur
but was later called Saraswati
veena. Made in several regions in South India, those
made by makers from Thanjavur in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu
are to date considered the most
sophisticated. Sangeet Ratnakar calls it
Ektantri Veena and gives the method for its
construction. The North Indian
rudra
veena and
vichitra
veena, technically
zithers,
demonstrate this genealogy. Descendents of Tansen reserved Rudra
Veena for family and out of reverence began calling it
Saraswati Veena. More an instrument for
demonstration than for actual playing, Shruti-veena was constructed
by Dr. Lalmani Misra in early 1960-s on which all twenty-two
shruti-s can be produced simultaneously.
An example of the Veena's use in modern western popular music is
found on the song "Sail Away Ladies," on the John Fahey album "The
Great San Bernardino Birthday Party." Alan Wilson, better known for
his role with Canned Heat, accompanies Fahey's guitar with a Veena
part.
Construction
About four feet in length, its design consists of a large resonator
(
kudam) carved and hollowed out of a log (usually of
jackwood), a tapering hollow neck (
dandi) topped with 24
brass or bell-metal frets set in
scalloped black wax on wooden tracks,
and a tuning box culminating in a downward curve and an ornamental
dragon's head (
yali). A small table-like wooden bridge
(
kudurai)—about 2 x 2½ x 2 inches—is topped by a convex
brass plate glued in place with resin. Two rosettes, formerly of
ivory, now of plastic or horn, are on the top board
(
palakai) of the resonator. Four main playing strings
tuned to the tonic and the fifth in two octaves (for example, B
flat-E flat below bass clef - B flat- E flat in bass clef) stretch
from fine tuning connectors attached to the end of the resonator.
across the bridge and above the fretboard to four large-headed pegs
in the tuning box. Three subsidiary drone strings tuned to the
tonic, fifth, and upper tonic (E flat - B flat- E flat in the
tuning given above) cross a curving side bridge leaning against the
main bridge, and stretch on the player's side of the neck to three
pegs matching those of the main playing strings. All seven strings
today are of steel, with the lower strings often wound like those
of the lower strings of a guitar.
Playing technique
The veena is played by sitting cross-legged with the instrument
held tilted slightly away from the player. The small gourd on the
left rests on the player's left thigh, the left arm passing beneath
the neck with the hand curving up and around so that the fingers
rest upon the frets. The palm of the right hand rests on the edge
of the top plank so that the fingers (usually index and middle) can
pluck the strings. The drone strings are played with the little
finger. The veena's large resonator is placed on the floor, beyond
the right thigh. The photo of
Veena
Dhanammal more accurately illustrates how the
veena is
held than the more fanciful Ravi Varma painting.
Like the
sitar, the left hand
technique involves playing on the frets, controlled pushing on the
strings to achieve higher tones and glissandi through increased
tension, and finger flicks, all reflecting the characteristics of
various
ragas and their ornamentation
(
gamaka). Modern innovations include one or two circular
sound holes (like that of the lute), substitution of machine heads
for wooden pegs for easier tuning, and the widespread use of
transducers for amplification in performance.
Religious Associations Within Hinduism
Goddess Saraswati depicted playing the
veena
The patron
Hindu Goddess of learning and the
arts,
Saraswati, is often depicted seated
upon a
swan playing a
veena. Lord
Shiva is also depicted playing or holding a
vina in His form called "Vinadhara," which means "bearer of the
vina." Also, the great Hindu sage
Narada was
known as a veena maestro.Ravana, the antagonist of the Ramayana,
who is also a great scholar, a capable ruler and a devoted follower
of Shiva, was also a versatile veena player.
Scholars hold that as Saraswati was goddess of
learning, the most evolved string instrument in a given age was
placed in her hands by contemporary artistes.
Many references to the veena are made in old Sanskrit and Tamil
literature, and musical compositions. Examples include "veena venu
mridanga vAdhya rasikAm" in Meenakshi Pancharathnam, "mAsil
veeNaiyum mAlai madhiyamum" Thevaram by Appar.
Variants
Some other variations of the veena are the
Rudra veena,
Mahanataka veena,
Vichitra veena, and
Gottuvadhyam veena (also called the
Chitra veena). Like
Ranjan Veena Mohan veena is
the name given to a modified form of guitar, invented and
popularised by
Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and often confused
with ancient
Indian musical
instruments.
Scholars consider that today four instruments
are signified by Veena which has been used as generic name for all
string instruments. They are, Rudra Veena, Vichitra Veena, Tanjauri
(Saraswati) Veena and Gottu Vadyam.
Contemporary Situation
Veena represents the system of Indian music. Several instruments
evolved in response to cultural changes in the country. Communities
of artists, scholars and craftsmen moved around and at times
settled down. Thus Veena craftsmen of Kolkata were famous for their
instruments. Similary, Rudra Veena was given a new form which came
to be known after the craftsmen of Tanjour as Tanjauri Veena.
Modern life-style is no longer limited to definite routine within a
small locality, thus along with performers and teachers of Veena,
the community of craftsmen is also on decline. Attempts to start
institutions of instrument-making have been made, but there is a
strong need for conservatories which focus on all aspects of Veena.
As a state party to UNESCO Convention 2003, India has identified
Veena as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage and
proposed its inscription in the Representative list of
UNESCO.
Tone and acoustics
Nobel Prize-winning physicist
C.V. Raman has
described the veena as having a unique construction. The string
terminations at both ends are curved and not sharp. Also, the frets
have much more curvature than any other instrument. Unlike in
guitar, the string does not have to be pushed down to the very base
of the neck, so no rattling sound is generated. This design enables
a continuous control over the string tension, which is important
for glissandi, produces more harmonics than any other
instruments.
Some believe that the
beeswax beneath the
frets acts as a noise filter. Wax is also used in
Fender Jaguar guitars to reduce the
rattling.
Famous veena players
References
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