Rabab

• Description:

Rabab is a very ancient musical instrument common in Kashmir. It is a hollowed-out body of wood with a membrane stretched over the opening. Combinations of gut or nylon and metal strings pass over a bridge which rests on a taught membrane. Rabab is believed to be progenitor of a number of Indian instruments like Sarangda, Sarod and Sarangi. Rabab has easily recognizable rich thick sound, a combination of high and low tones.

• Origin:

Rabab is a very ancient instrument found primarily in Afghanistan, Persia but in India it is mostly common in Kashmir. It is believed that it traveled with the bards and minstrels of Afghanistan and joined the folk group instruments in Kashmir.

There are three regards on its origin in Kashmir:

1. Some scholars say that it must have been introduced into Kashmir at the time of Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin
2. Another school of thought suggests that this instrument has been brought to Kashmir from the middle-east by the foreign intruders perhaps by Sokandar Zulqurmein in the past.
3. As mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari (Abul Fazal), it is invented by the celebrated musician, Tansen who was a renowned musician at King Akbar’s court.

.Notable Players

• Aziz Herawi (born 1952) Afghan born, now residing in California
• Mohammad Omar (1905—1980), Rubab player from Afghanistan
• Sardar Mado
• Qais Essar, Afghan rubab player
• Quraishi, Afghan born, now living in New York City
• Abdurahim Hamidov (1952–2013)
• Homayun Sakhi
• Rahim Kushnawaz
• Ghulam Hussain