Ustad Imrat Khan
Indian Classical Music
The Surbahar
The Surbahar, the larger cousin of the sitar was also developed by the
Etawa Gharana. Successor of the Katchwa Veena, the Surbahar was developed,
standardised and perfected by Ustad Imrat Khan's grandfather Ustad Imdad
Khan. Ustad Inayat Khan reduced the size of the instrument so that to
facilitate its playing although the surbahar of Imdad Khan had more depth
and resonance. The resulting instrument, larger than the sitar with deeper
resonance has eight top strings and nine sypathetic strings. The surbahar
has always been played by only a few musicians as it is more complicated
and technically difficult than its relative the sitar. Today, the number
of Surbahar players can be counted on one hand. The music produced by the
surbahar is however, the most glorious blend of deep echoes, vibrations and
resonances. Surbahar ang (style) of playing is based on Dhrupad, the
oldest, purest and most rigid form of singing with long, slurring meends
created by the pulling of the strings along the frets to give a range of
seven notes from one note.
Ustad Imrat Khan has pioneered Surbahar playing throughout his life. He has developed Surbahar ang into the style which is known today and has passed his knowledge of this regal and majestic instrument to his son Irshad who maintains the gharanas traditions as surbaharists.