Indian Music

Choose the Correct Answer

Correct Answer : Option a

Explanation
Option 1 is correct: It is an extremely popular Indian percussion instrument which is used in Hindustani Classical Music along with popular and devotional music, as well musical mehfils. Ustad Zakir Hussain the most famous table player of India was awarded with the Grammy Award for the best music album in 1992.

Option 2 is not correct: Veena is also one of the oldest musical instruments referred to in the vedic texts. It is the most popular musical instrument of South India, popularly known as the Saraswati Veena. It is a plucked string instrument that is designed and used to accompany Carnatic music. There are several variations of the Veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family.

Option 3 is correct: The Sitar played a significant role in introducing western audiences to Indian classical music. It is categorized as a chordophone in the lute family. In the Sitar, usually there are seven strings, five of steel and two of brass. Its sound evokes thoughts and feelings of the sub-continent. It is a plucked string instrument predominantly used in Hindustani Classical Music. Pandit Ravi Shankar (1920- 2012) was a renowned sitar player. He was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1999 and three Grammy Awards.

Option 4 is not correct: The Santoor is a folk instrument of Kashmir. It is a popular instrument, mostly used in singing the Sufiana kalam. The santoor is a trapezoid-shaped musical instrument. It is usually made of walnut wood, with numerous strings and is said to be related to the shata-tantri veena of earlier times. A lightweight wooden hammer, used to play the santoor, is known as Mezrab. To play the Santoor, these mallets (mezrab) are held between the index and middle fingers.

Option 5 is not correct: The literal meaning of Mridanga is ‘body of clay’. It is one of the most important instruments in South India that provides rhythm to Carnatic music performances. Mridangam is a classical percussion instrument. It is known by the different names such as mridanga, mridangam, mrudangam and mrithangam. A smaller Mridanga is called the Khol or Srikhol in Bengal.