The 'been': A look at the history of the Rudra Veena

The Rudra veena, also known as the ‘been’, is a historical stringed musical instrument, with few active practitioners today. It is a stick zither contraption, associated with the Dhrupad genre of Hindustani classical music.

Originating in northern India, it is named after Rudra, the fierce form of Shiva. It is believed that Ravana built and played this veena to pay homage to Shiva and named it after him. Another story posits that Shiva himself created the instrument, inspired by the beauty of Parvati, his consort. While the veena is mentioned in the Natyashastra (2nd century CE) and the medieval text Sangita Makaranda, and depicted in murals at Ajanta Caves, the Rudra veena seems to have been played only in limited circles for worship and courtly ceremonies.

By the 19th century, the Rudra veena’s popularity declined with the introduction of the surbahar and the sitar, and the dominance of Khayal over the Dhrupad genre of Hindustani music. The Rudra veena has two distinctive globular resonators on either end, made of dried gourds, and is connected by a wooden, tubular body that has 24 raised frets. Traditionally, it had four main playing strings and three drone or sympathetic strings. Some modern instruments include an eighth string for tonal enhancement. When its strings are plucked, the Rudra veena emits a sonorous, bassy sound.

The few 19th- and 20th-century Rudra veenas intact today are embellished with delicate floral carvings, which reflect the baroque sensibilities of the time. Now it takes over six months to create one Rudra veena, and it is therefore not only rare but also expensive.

The instrument was traditionally played while being seated in vajrasana (a kneeling yoga posture), and the beam was placed diagonally, with the upper resonator on the left shoulder and the lower resonator resting on the right thigh. It was a physically and psychologically demanding process, wherein the player was required to coordinate their breathing and bodily movements. Extended practice in traditional postures could lead to physical strain, prompting the development of modified playing positions. A new posture called sukhasana (a cross-legged yoga position) was later developed, where the angle of tilt was corrected and the upper resonator was placed on the right thigh and the lower resonator on the floor.

While the instrument still required utmost concentration, playing it became slightly easier. The rapturous sounds of the Rudra veena made it particularly popular in Tantric traditions across India. In the 20th century, Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar was credited with the revival of the Rudra veena as a solo instrument played in concerts. The recordings of another master player, Dattatreya Rama Rao Parvatikar, are now part of the UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music of the World. Today, very few Rudra veena maestros remain, as the instrument is notoriously difficult to master.

Discover Indian Art is a monthly column that delves into fascinating stories on art from across the subcontinent, curated by the editors of the MAP Academy. Find them on Instagram as @map_academy