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Aarbajo

Nepali four-string lute

Field	Value
name	Arbajo आरबाजो
image	Prakash Gandharva playing the arbajo आरबाजो.png
caption	Nepali entertainer Prakash Gandharva playing the arbajo. Gandharva is holding and playing the instrument like a guitar, a non-traditional method. Traditionally the instrument was held and played vertically, resting on the musician's lap.
background	string
classification	String
hornbostel_sachs	321.321-6
hornbostel_sachs_desc	Chordophone with permanently attached resonator and neck, sounded by a plectrum
developed	Traditionally built by members of the Gandarbha caste of musical performers.
attack	fast
decay	fast
range	[[File:Range, Arbajo.png	thumb	center	Range of the Nepali arbajo, low c, middle c and g, high c]]

The arbajo () is a Nepali four-string lute used as a rhythm instrument (Tālabājā ()). It is the traditional instrument of the Gandarbha caste of musical performers, and is considered a companion to the Nepali sarangi.

The instrument has historically been played by Gandarbha performers at festivals, such as the "Chaiteti" festival. Although considered the oldest of the Gandarbha musical instruments, the aarbajo is in danger of dying out today. The danger for the instrument comes as young people are not as interested in folk music, and the instrument is not passed to the next generation. Some of the few musicians still playing the aarbajo are of the Gaine caste, in Lamjung District and Kaski District of western Nepal.

Specifications

The instrument measures approximately 100 centimeters long, and is about 22 centimeters wide at the bowl. The bowl is about 17 centimeters deep. The whole instrument is carved from a single piece of Khirro wood (Sapium insigne). Its four strings are tuned to "lower C, middle C and G and higher C," over three octaves. It has a skin soundboard.

Similarities to other instruments

The Asrbajo uses skin for its soundboard, an ancient international lute-building tradition. This tradition has also survived in the Nepali tungna. Skin-topped instruments have survived in China, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. As the aarbajo is viewed, standing upright, it has projections from the neck just above the bowl, similar to instruments from elsewhere in the mountains of Asia, including the Tibetan dranyen, Pamiri rubab and the Uyghur rawap.

Prominent performers

Both the aarbajo and Nepali sarangi were performed on the BBC radio network in 2019 by Prakash Gandharva, in a radio entertainment targeting poaching. Gandharva worked on the show for 7 years.

The show was organized by "Greenhood Nepal", and environment group in Nepal that focuses on "communities that border important wildlife habitats." The songs also explored what happens in the world when an animal disappears from the forest. The entertainment was aimed reaching people with the environmental message.

References

Kadel, Ram Prasad. (2007). "Musical Instruments of Nepal". Nepali Folk Instrument Museum.
Kadel, Ram Prasad. (2004). "Folk Instruments of Nepal". Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum.
(2000). "World music: the rough guide". Rough Guides.
Alison Arnold. (2000). "South Asia: the Indian subcontinent". Taylor & Francis.
Carol Tingey. (December 1994). "Auspicious music in a changing society: the Dāmai musicians of Nepal". Heritage Publishers.
(November 6, 2020). "(translation: Dilu's fiddle while handing the leopard's letter to Habre)". Setopathi: Nepal's Digital Newspaper.
(27 October 2018). "प्रकाश गन्धर्व : जसको सम्पत्ति पनि सारंगी, पाठशाला पनि सारंगी (translation:Prakash Gandharva: Whose property is also Sarangi, Pathshala is also Sarangi)". News Karober.
. ["हाब्रेलाई चितुवाको पत्र सुनाउँदै दिलुको सारंगी (Dilu's fiddle while handing the leopard's letter to Habre)"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYopeaszlsc). *Setopathi*.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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string-instruments stringed-instruments-of-nepal drumhead-lutes

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