Thanjavur Veena, as the name indicates, is native to the Thanjavur region in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur has been a cultural hub from ancient times with the patronage of the Cholas in the early centuries of this millennia, followed much later by the Nayakas of Madurai and the Marathas. It is also the region which gave birth to the trimurtis of the Carnatic music tradition and hence it is not a wonder that the veena bearing the region’s name had its birth here. Instrument Veena is considered to be the most important instrument after the voice.

The Thanjavur veena is an instrument that has hardly undergone any transformation since it was born. Mastering this veena is a very difficult task, takes years and years of sadhana but the fruits are very sweet and sometimes a cause for bliss when one touches the divine while playing the instrument. Goddess Saraswati plays this timeless instrument and it is fittingly the national instrument of India. Such is its antiquity and beauty.

The veena seems to have been an accompaniment for devis and devatas as is seen when Kalidasa says in the ‘Navarathnamala Sthothra’ that goddess Parashakti plays the veena. He says that the sapta swaras were so captivating that the goddess was glowing while playing it. Apart from Devi Saraswati and Parashakti, Devi Mathangi is also depicted with a veena in her hand. And lest we think that this instrument was the prerogative of only women, we see that the Pallava and Chola temple architecture depict Lord Dakshinamurthy also with a veena in his hand.

Lord Dakshninamoorthy, Thanjavur Veena

The iconic representation of shiva in this form include Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy

The melodious yet powerful sounds of the veena gives the listener a sense of joy and celebration.  With the sound of the veena, listeners would forget their worries and be engrossed in the melody. The instrument has so captured the imagination of some of the greatest minds of India that they even studied it scientifically as a stringed instrument to propagate sound. For instance, in 1921, Indian physicist and Nobel laureate Sir C.V. Raman published ‘On some Indian stringed instruments’ where he analysed the geometric significance and effect of the veena’s bridge on the radiation of sound.

The current form of the veena was devised by Govinda Dikshithar, who was a music teacher/minister under the King Raghunath Nayaka in Thanjavur. Since Thanjavur was the region where this veena was crafted and since Raghunath Nayak ruled during this time, the veena came to be called sometimes as the Tanjavur veena, and sometimes as the Raghunatha veena. Tanjavur veena and Saraswati veena are common names for it. It has been documented that King Raghunath Nayaka himself was an excellent musician who patronized Karnatic music.

The current form of the veena is said to have evolved from the Kinnari Veena*. (* the kinnari vina was mentioned by Sarngadeva in his Sangita Ratnakara (written 1210 – 1247 C.E.) By the late 19th century, the Kinnari Veena survived as a folk instrument, in Mysore, India, and was the precursor to the rudra veena. )

The craft of making the veena

Veena looks like wooden shaped boats at first glance. While craftsmen chip away at the resonator’s cave and the fingerboard, they use scalpels and chisels to make intricate carvings embellished with inlays of stag horn.

A papier-mache resonator is attached, as well as tuning pegs once it has been polished. The fingerboard is then embellished with a carved Yali (a mythical creature, lion-headed and with tusks, common to South Indian religious art). As soon as the wax is set, the brass frets and bridge are placed, followed by stringing and tuning the instrument. This is the most important part of music for a vainika. A veena does not necessarily leave the workshop flawless. The perfection comes with use.

Stuggles 

Thanjavur’s veena industry struggled to stay afloat especially in recent times amid the pandemic-induced challenges. As prices have risen, veena makers are facing an acute shortage of raw materials. There are a number of reasons for the decline in this craft, including difficulties procuring raw materials.

One veena takes about a month to make and is usually made by one or two apprentices with the help of the aachari. In Thanjavur, there are families that are into the trade of manufacturing Veena

In classical Carnatic music, the veena continues to be an important and popular string instrument. The depth, resonance and power of the veena’s music should be popularized more and more people should be attracted to take it up as a pursuit. This will ensure that the culture of music that is transformative and transcencent will continue to flourish in Bharatvarsha and that artisans and craftspersons making their livelihood from this craft will also be able to transmit their skill and art to the coming generations. This will protect, nourish, nurture and propagate our rich musical tradition and heritage.

Pictures are taken by Team, Veena Murali DECORS // All images by Veena Murali DECORS  are copyrighted 

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