Strung to heart – a song for Bobbili Veenas

The sweetness of Carnatic classical music oozing from Goddess Saraswati's choicest instrument – veena, is home to Bobbili. The generational expertise of artisans, who have dedicated their lives towards the sustenance of this instrument, is indeed commendable. India is also home to various other stringed instruments akin to the veena – such as Rudra veena, Chitra veena, Vichitra veena, Sarod, Sitar, and Mohan veena.

Bobbili is a small town in the Vijayanagaram district, of Andhra Pradesh. Today, the town's name has transformed itself into an adjective, while describing a veena. In other words – Bobbili Veena. In the 17th century, during the reign of Pedda Rayudu, veena-making found its genesis in Bobbili. It was a time when veena-playing was popular across Southern India, along with the kingdom rulers who had a taste for it. So, this naturally created an environment for the craft to grow and thrive. The craftspeople who were involved in the veena-making process belonged to the community called Sarvasiddhi, from Gollapalli. And together, these craftspeople established, what continues to date called – the Bobbili Veena Sampradayam. An instrument that looks so intricate but sounds so simple is a testament to great precision, craftsmanship and hard work. Primarily made out of jackfruit wood, Bobbili veena-making is quite a process. An average Bobbili veena takes close to a month, besides the seasoning of wood. Post the seasoning, the quintessential round base, called kunda, is chiselled and grooved to perfection, lest it may impact the sound quality. But once the perfect kunda is achieved, the artisan moves towards carving the next most important element of the Bobbili veena – the dandi -which runs 51-inches long across the length of the veena. Throughout this process, any unevenness is dealt with by using a yellow paste (glue mixed with yellow-coloured powder). Following this, a white-coloured plastic sheet with inlay art is stuck on the veena to give it a better definition of the border. Back in the day, ivory was used for the same inlay, however, unfortunately, those are replaced by plastic sheets. That said, the craft still remains untouched. Once the inlay is completed, the craftspeople move on to making seven knobs along with the others, with rosewood. A seven-stringed instrument in its totality – four of its primary strings are made out of brass, while the remaining three, secondary ones, are made of steel. These strings are sourced from Mumbai, as they are not available in the town of Bobbili.

Bobbili Veenas are, for the most part, made from a single log, hence also called Ekandi. As an extension of the veena's bridge, many intricate sculptures such as a lion's head, lotus or even a peacock are fitted at the alley. Every veena is made to order, and no more than two veenas are made in the workshop in a month. Thankfully, Bobbili veena as a craft received its Geographical Indication tag in 2011, for this craft is not only popular in Bobbili but also a very few artisans remain today, dedicated towards the cause of this craft. Besides their brilliance in sound, Bobbili veenas are also known for their lightness of weight. Perhaps this is the reason why beginners flock towards Bobbili veenas – for its ease. Eternal being its make, with every home deserving to call a veena its own, Bobbili Veena ages with grace and never stops being relevant. An excellent present for connoisseurs of music, art and craftsmanship, Bobbili miniature veenas surely have the charm of a queen and the chirp of a princess. So, the next time you are wondering how to strike that chord with your musically crazy loved one, a Bobbili veena would await your rescue. Go ahead and own one, it's a melodious choice.

(The writer is a handloom and handicraft enthusiast. She is also a member of the crafts council. Instagram handle: Rajeswariramachander)