Setara- Restoration of a Heritage in Bengali Music
Setara
Restoration of a Heritage in Bengali Music.
Mohammad Jakir Hossain
Artist
Introduction
Bengali traditional musical instruments have a long and rich history that spans centuries, closely linked to the cultural and social history of Bengalis. The early origins of Bengali traditional music can be traced back to the Vedic period when music was an essential part of religious ceremonies. Over time, these customs evolved into various regional styles and forms. The earliest known mention of musical instruments in Bengali dates back to the 7th century during the reign of the Pala dynasty. Many musical instruments were introduced to Bengal from other parts of India, including the veena, mridangam, flutes and tabla.
In the mediaeval period, Bengali music flourished under the patronage of the Mughal emperors, who were themselves great lovers of music. This period saw the emergence of many new musical forms and instruments, including the sarod and sitar. The 19th and 20th centuries were a particularly important period for Bengali music, as many new instruments were introduced, and new musical styles emerged. The modern harmonium, for example, was introduced to Bengal by Christian missionaries in the 19th century and quickly became a popular instrument in Bengali music.
Today, Bengali traditional music continues to evolve and adapt to changing social and cultural contexts. Many of the traditional instruments, such as the ektara, dotara, khamak, and bansuri, continue to be widely used, while newer instruments, such as the electronic tabla, have also been introduced. Despite these changes, the rich and diverse musical heritage of Bengal remains an essential part of the region's cultural identity.
Background
While searching for instrument makers in my native place, I came across a Bengali traditional instrument that is nearly one hundred and fifty years old. This small string instrument with beautiful melodies has three octaves.
The instrument belonged to a farmer named Duriyadhan Kaka, who had abandoned it in his storeroom for around twelve years. A local instrument maker Azadul Islam informed me about it, and I asked Kaka to show it to me. Kaka is a music lover, and his uncle, Dwijen Kabiraj, had this instrument throughout his life. He was a wandering bard who died in his seventies and passed the instrument to Kaka after four generations of practice. However, Kaka could not cope with playing it, and it ended up in the storeroom. They called it a Setara, as it is a six string instrument, and only a few people alive have heard it playing. When I saw it, I couldn't imagine how it would sound.
Setara, as was found.
I found the setara covered with five or six layers of colour, unhatched, with broken pegs and no strings. There was a joint in the fretboard, which was made many years ago. Some say, this instrument was taken to India during the partition, later brought back to Bangladesh again. It is said that, Dwijen kabiraj practised this setara for more than fifty years. The Instrument with five strings was played simultaneously in jari, shari, pala and baul musical events. After him the setara was passed to kaka, and he abandoned it for his own cause. With time nobody cared about its history. Many people wanted to borrow and use the setara, while it was in Kaka's observation and in good shape. But kaka never gave it away until I wished once to learn it. I am standing as the sixth generation practitioner of this Bengali cultural heritage.
Restoration
Restoration became a bit difficult when sanding papers weren’t working. Every generation tried protecting the wooden frame, using the strongest colours of their time, as far as the last one was tar. We started searching for traditional instrument makers in the north of Bangladesh, and found Abdul Khalek mistri, an experienced two string (Dotara) maker. He helped us remove the colours, and informed us of the woods used.
Abdul khalek mistri and his grandson repairing the setara.
After sanding with a hand saw, we found that the setara was made of red pauwa wood. This rare wood is very light with a wonderful natural colour, and instruments made of a fully grown tree can survive for centuries. The joint in the fretboard was made many years ago when the instrument was broken. Khalek mistri also informed us that the woods in the upper and lower portions could be of different time frames and had differences in colour and nature of woods.
Sanding setara with a hand saw.
I modified the instrument by adding two additional peg holders, one for the main melody string and another for the sympathetic string. Which made seven strings in number, but six in counting. We had new pegs made at Nazrul Islam's woodturning workshop, and we hired him for the peg-making job in some instrument-making projects. Since we couldn't find similar wood, we used jackfruit wood to remake the pegs. The broken part on the fretboard wasn't an issue, as it had been joined strongly by previous practitioners.
Pegs adjustment after sanding.
After cleaning the setara thoroughly, we went to a percussion instrument maker to obtain the necessary supplies for thatching. The instrument has a string length of 18 inches and a 2.5 inch-deep bowl (golai), and it required an 11-inch by 9-inch diameter goatskin. The fetching process took only thirty minutes.
Thetching setara.
The upper wooden body used to be the fretboard, but we attached steel to it to improve the sound quality. We crafted a string bridge from mahogany wood and placed a brass headstock after final sanding and burnishing. We installed a total of seven physical strings, and the setara was restored with a rope belt.
Tuning
There is a nylon string and a thin 0.008 inch string on the upper portion. In the main body there is a bronze 0.015 inch string, a 0.010 inch string, two chord strings, and again a 0.008 inch string ascendingly. I experimented with sarod tuning, but best sounded in traditional swaraj tuning as it was a variant of traditional Swaraj. A dotara with four strings is usually tuned in lower fourth,first,first,fourth notes, for example if the instrument is tuned in D-scale, the combination shall be A,D,D,G notes downward. The second sympathetic string is tuned in a C note and the first one according to the mood of the songs.
Jakir Hossain playing Setara; Cox’s Bazar, January 2023.
The setara is tuned to a specific scale, and three octaves of that scale can be played. Shifting to a different scale requires re-tuning, though the notes can be played individually in any scale. It is plucked with a plectrum made of wood, coconut shell or animal horn. The music blends best with raw folk, but it can also collaborate in fusions.
Restoration Video
https://probokolpo.blogspot.com/2023/03/setara-restoration-of-heritage-in.html
Conclusion
As a Baul music practitioner and developer, the preservation and study of Setara music are not only important but also come with a significant responsibility to me. It is essential to recognize the value of sounds and its cultural significance, and ensure that it continues to be passed down to future generations. As a bearer of this knowledge, it is crucial to take the initiative to find and train the next generation of practitioners, and provide them with the necessary resources and guidance to carry on this musical tradition. By doing so, I wish to ensure that traditional Bengali music remains a vibrant and integral part of our cultural heritage, and that it continues to inspire and enrich our lives for years to come.
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