Veena-The Heritage

In the ancient days, all the string instruments (Tantri Vadya and Tata Vadya) shared the common nomenclature of Veena. There are two varieties of Veena, the two divisions – one was sruti veena and the other swara veena. Sruti veenas were used for showing different srutis but full fledged instrumental veena concert is performed on the swara veena. These veenas got many transformations in course of centuries.

Most earliest work Natya sastra speaks about two veenas chitra and vipanchi as major veenas and Kachapi and ghoshtaka as minor veenas. Chitra Veena is described as having seven strings and vipanchi, nine strings. Chitra Veena is played by fingers, while the later veena with Kona. Nanya Deva speaks that Chitra Veena with its seven strings is meant for seven notes of the scale.

There are innumerable instruments in the world of these, Indian Veena occupies the first place. It has a credible past back to the Rig Vedic age (3500-2500 B.C). Veena, one of the most ancient instruments finds a mention in the sculptures as well as literary works. The Primitive Veena (lute) was curved body of a bamboo bow. The old Veena is harp type having a hollow belly covered with board or stretched leather. The belly is broader towards the back where its end is rounded and tapers towards the front, and it is continued into an upstanding curved arrow. These strings vary in their length. We find this harp vina with minor variations in the available sculptures of the Sanchi, Bhaja, Bharhut, Amaravati, Nagarjunkonda and even at Modhera. It is also depicted in SamudraGupt’s coin. The Veenas found in all these types, the frets are absent.

Someswara, describes Kinnari Veena with fourteen frets. Sarangadeva in his Sangita Ranakara also speaks about 14 frets.

Different kinds of Veena have been mentioned in the vedic and Buddist literature, Narada, Bharatha, Matanga, Parsvadeva and saranga deva (all these Lakshanakaras lived from 1st century A.D to 13th century A.D) described about veena in their treatises. Post sangita Ratnakara lakshanakaras also describes the characteristics of different kinds of Veena. Almost all lakshanakaras mentions different names to their Veena. (A few of them are listed below:

Chala	Parivadini	Pichola
Achala	Gatra	Chitra
Darari	Kuram	Brahmi
Randri	Vaana

The Veena is as old as the Vedas. The Vedic Veena is described with its parts as siras (head), udara (bowl), ambhana (sounding belly), tantra (string) and Vadana (plectrum). A Veena called Audumbari was played by the Rishipatnis during the time of yagvas and Priests or Rishis chanted the mantras. This veena was made of Audumba wood and hence the name Audumbari. Pichola Veena is also another Veena used in the vedic age for the same purpose. In Ramayana, both Lava and Kusa chanted the entire Valmiki Ramayana with Veena. We can find mentions about Veena in Bhagavata and Kumara Sambhava.

The discussion about veena will not be complete without a reference to Vana. Vana is a variety of vina which is fitted with a hundred strings. Shatatantir or Shatatantri. the Taittiriya Brahmana speaks about the players of the instrument. There should be 2 persons to play the vina and out of the two vina players, one should be a Brahmin and the other should be kshatriya. Vina is glorified in the sacred literature as an emblem of knowledge as well as royal glory.

The other Vinas of the same ages were named according to the material out of which they may be manufactured.

For eg.,        Kandavina - Bamboo Vina
                   Taluka Vina - Palm tree Vina
                   Alubu Vina - is the guard.

The kapisirsni and godha vina are named after animals. The former is the monkey shaped head Vina while the latter decorated the shape and skin of an alligator. The Aitareya Aranyaka, we can see a comparison has been drawn between the divine and human vinas. The human body has been called the divine vina created by the Almighty.

The frettd vina developed throwing into the background, the Yash, various Lakshanakaras speaks of varieties of Vinas in their works. Few are following:

Narada in his sangita Makarandam mentions 19 kinds of Vinas. They are kachchapi, Kubjika, chitra, vahanti, parivadini, Jaya, Ghoshavati, Syeshta etc., Palkuriki somanatha in his work Panditaradhya chritra gives details about 17 varieties of Vinas like Brahma Vina, Kailasa Vina, Kurma Vina, Saranga vina, Akasa Vina etc.,

The Vina handled by saramathy is called kachchapi, Adi sankara in his soundarya Lahari portrays saraswathy playing with Vina in the sloka "vipanchya gayanthi". The vina played by Naradha is called Mahati. Kalavati was the name of the vina used by the celesteal musician, tumburer.

Through many centuries of development or various changes the present day veena attained its status. The modern veena is otherwise known as Raghunatha Veena.

The Variety of musical instruments depictd in the ancient Indian sculptures is something astouunding; varieties of string, wind and percussion instruments are presented in the sculptures of Bharhut, Bhaja, Mathura, Gandhara, Sanchi, amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, konarak and various temples of South India like Belur, Chidambaram etc., and the frescoes and paintings at Ajanta, Bagh, Tanjavoor, and other places. In all the sculptures and paintings, particulars like the number of performers in concerts and dance, the types of instruments used as accompaniment, the postures in which the instruments were held and played, all these revealed an amazing degree of detail for the proper appraisement of the music and musical instruments prevalent in India. The saraswathi veena of South India is one of the foremost concert instruments of the present day music. As contrasted with its gradual eclipse in the north by the Sitar and Sarod, the veena in the South has risen to greater heights than ever before in popularity, even as the technique of playing it has advanced.

To the lay listener, all veena recitals may look alike, but the discerning ear can distinguish different styles of veena playing. The technique of veena playing today can be broadly divided into three basic schools - The Tanjavur, Mysore and Andhra Schools. Each school has a proud heritage of its own, and there are purists even today who zealously guard their precious traditions. However, it is easily noticeable that due to constant exposure of each school to the others via radio and other modern media, there has been a merging of styles to some extent.

Tanjore school aims at reproducing the vocal style as closely as possible. This approach has been developed right from the heyday of the Tanjavur court and has been moulded and polished to perfection. Gayaki Style is another important style in which many eminent veena exponents belong to this school stress importance to the pronounciation and accent. Each syllable of the sahitya is to be transferred to the veena exactly as it is sung. Raga alapana of this style replete with deep gamakas. The pace is leasurely. It is a stately and dignified style whose appeal can never fade. Karaikudi Bani is the bani developed by the Karaikudi brothers in their own individualistic manner. It is the frame work of the highly regarded Tanjavur tradition.

The Mysore school developed quite a different direction. It is basically an instrumental style in which deep gamakas are not generally used. Mysore school have a distinct North Indian touch, due to the proximity of Karnataka's northern districts to Maharashtra and the ensuing influence. It is a very pleasing and reposeful style.

The Andhra School of Veena playing can be distinguished by the variety of meetus used, High speed passages employed rigorously in this school. Veyi sadhakam is the notable feature of this school.

Certain traditions and techniques of veena playing has been vanished from the present day music. modern technology has enabled the soft sound of the veena to emerge from chamber music to the auditorium. Wth the help of the contact microphone and the magnetic pick-up, it is now possible to hear the softest whisper as well as the booming voice of this extra-ordinary instrument in the farthest corner of the hall. Yet, the lacunae that we find in veena performances today can largely be filled by taking some of the ancient techniques that have been right in front of us all these years applying them to the daily practice, to perform true sadhana. For it is only with sadhana can drive music pour out of this truly divine instrument.

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