Sarinda

Sarinda a type of string instrument, made of wooden frame, hide, string and bow. The flat portion of the main structure is narrowed from both sides and the upper portion is covered with a hide. The rest of the structure looks like a stick, with the head shaped in the form of a bird, a horse or even human bodies like Radha-Krishna. Three strings are bridged by a block of wood at one end and are tied to the pegs at the other. The sarinda is played with a bow, made of the hair of tails of animals or silk strings. The sarinda can be seen in the northern parts of Bengal, mostly, Dinajpur, Coochbihar & Jalpaiguri districts. The instrument is played to accompany BICHAR GAN, MURSHIDI GAN, songs for BOAT RACEs, KAVI GANs, Dotrapala, Kushangaan etc. But it can also be used as a solo instrument.