Centre for rare music instruments is back in action

It teaches rudra veena and surbahar

A centre for rare classical music instruments has fully resumed its operations post the pandemic.

Located on Bannerghatta Road, Arekere, the Rudra Veena and Surbahar Research Centre, which opened its doors in 2019, is back with a gurukul system for interested candidates.

Jayanta Kumar Das, director of the centre, and an A-grade artiste with the All India Radio, shares that “rudra veena is one of the rarest instruments of India and it’s essential to revive its tradition”. According to mythology, the rudra veena refers to an instrument which Lord Shiva created after he was mesmerised by the beauty of his wife Parvathi. “The instrument has two resonators, a sound board, and frets with eight strings on it,” he elaborates. Its sound board seems to be inspired by the human spine, he adds.

Dhrupad style of music, which is played on the rudra veena, is said to have “a spiritual effect on human mind”, points out Jayanta.

When playing the rudra veena, one has to sit in bhadrasana, where one side of the resonator rests on one’s shoulder, letting “direct sounds into the body”. “This singing style can be used for self-realisation or for a spiritual purpose,” he adds.

Classes and programmes at the centre are based on the rudra veena, surbahar (a bigger, and plucked string instrument), and the sitar.

“There are few artistes who play the rudra veena and the surbahar across the country. My father Sripati Das played all the three instruments. My brother Ganesh Das and I inherited this knowledge. The centre aims to carry forward this knowledge,” he adds.

The musical instruments cost around Rs 1 lakh, which most students might find tough to afford. “A grant or financial aid will help interested students,” he says.

Applicants should be above 10 years of age. “Prior knowledge of music is not a must. However, knowledge about string instruments will be helpful,” Das adds.

For details, call 77959 02393 or email to [e-mail]