The dilruba and esraj are bowed instruments with a fretted neck, a skin belly and sympathetic strings ringing underneath the bowed note. They are the easiest way into bowed Indian music, and the reason is the neck: both are fretted like a sitar, so the left hand does something familiar instead of hunting for pitch on a bare fingerboard the way it must on a sarangi. The bow takes the practice, but the learning curve is human.
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Dilruba or esraj? Regional and constructional cousins. Dilruba is associated with the north and Punjab, esraj with Bengal. If you are learning within a tradition, follow your teacher. If not, either will serve you.
Where they are used. Sikh kirtan and gurmat sangeet, Bengali devotional and classical music, film scoring, and increasingly by string players from other traditions who want that voice like sustain.
And the taus? The taus is the larger, older ancestor of the dilruba, carved into the shape of a peacock and considerably deeper. If the tradition matters to you more than portability, look there.
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The easiest way into bowed Indian music, and the reason is the neck.
Both instruments are fretted like a sitar, so the left hand does something familiar and you are not hunting for pitch on a bare fingerboard the way you are on a sarangi. The bow takes the practice, as with any bowed instrument, but the learning curve is human.
Dilruba or esraj? Regional and constructional cousins, dilruba associated with the north and Punjab, esraj with Bengal. Both have a fretted neck, a skin belly and sympathetic strings that ring underneath the bowed note. If you are learning within a tradition, follow your teacher. If not, either will serve.
Where they are used. Sikh kirtan and gurmat sangeet, Bengali devotional and classical music, film scoring, and increasingly by string players from other traditions who want that voice-like sustain.
And the taus? The taus is the larger, older ancestor of the dilruba, carved into a peacock and considerably deeper. If the tradition matters to you more than the portability, look there.
Questions we get asked
Dilruba or esraj?
Regional cousins. Dilruba is associated with the north and Punjab, esraj with Bengal. If you are learning in a tradition follow your teacher, otherwise either serves.
Easier than sarangi?
Considerably. Both are fretted like a sitar, so the left hand does something familiar and you are not hunting for pitch on a bare fingerboard.
What is the taus then?
The larger, older ancestor, carved into the shape of a peacock and deeper in voice. Look there if the tradition matters more to you than portability.