Strings
Esraj & Dilruba
The esraj is mostly played in Bengal, Bangladesh and central India, and has been for about 200 years. In the north it is known as the Dilruba, whose construction is also slightly different. The dilruba is bigger and has a larger sound box, therefore the sound is louder and more sonorous. The esraj charms the listener with the gentle delicate sounds that gave it the name “robber of the heart”. Both instruments are rich in overtones, as they have many sympathetic strings. The esraj and dilruba have four main strings but the melody is played with a bow only on the first, and the others just resonate. The heavy curved metal frets are fixed with a cord and can be moved for tuning. Usually the musician sits with crossed legs on the ground and holds the instrument in front of himself while the neck leans against the shoulder, changing notes with one hand while bowing with the other.
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