Sarinda (instrument)

Sarinda (Bengali:সরিণ্ডা, Assamese:চৰিণ্ডা, Punjabi:ਸਰਿੰਦ, Urdu:سرندا; also spelled saranda) is a traditional bowed string musical instrument originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is crafted from a single block of wood with a hollow resonator. The instrument has three main playing strings and with a total of thirty-six sympathetic strings. These strings cascade down a slender waist and traverse an oval-shaped resonating chamber, which is partially adorned with animal skin. It is played while sitting on the ground in a vertical orientation. The sarinda is an integral part of the folk music traditions of Bangladesh, India, and parts of Pakistan. It is similar to the sarangi, lute, and the fiddle. It is the sole accompaniment for a soloist or group folk singera.