Sarinda

This, and its many relatives, is the indigenous fiddle of North India, which the violin has to some degree supplanted.  A waisted lute with exaggerated barbs, only the bottom part of the sound box is covered with skin upon which rests the bridge that transfers the sound of three gut strings.  The bow is loosely strung and held underhand while the strings are stopped with the fingers curved so that the nails may slide freely over them.  The lute is carried in a kind of cloth sling dangling from the singer’s neck which allows him to stand and move while performing in the now outmoded way Hindustani sarangi players are depicted as doing in old prints that illustrate nautch dancers with their mobile accompanists.