Abhi150898: Wrote an inspiring guide.

2022-05-02T23:34:11Z

Wrote an inspiring guide.

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{{Not to be confused with|Tau (particle)}}{{Not to be confused|Tau}}{{Infobox instrument
| name = Taus or mayuri veena
| image = Taūs (mayuri) - MET MI89.4.163.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =Mayuri veena
| caption = Taus or mayuri veena
| background =
| names =Mayuri veena
| classification = [[Bowed string instrument]]
| hornbostel_sachs =
| hornbostel_sachs_desc =
| inventors =
| developed =
| timbre =
| volume =
| attack =
| decay =
| range =
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| related =
*[[Sarinda (instrument)|Sarinda]]
*[[Sarangi]]
*[[Dilruba]]/esraj
| musicians =
| builders =
| articles =
}}
[[File:Tā’ūs or Mayūrī (`Peacock vina') (cropped).png|thumb|Tā’ūs or Mayūrī (`Peacock vina'), [[St Cecilia's Hall]] ]]
The '''taus''', originally known as the '''mayuri veena''',<ref>{{Cite book|last=Edgerly|first=Beatrice|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TmkIAQAAMAAJ&q=Mayuri+veena+also+known+as+Taus|title=From the Hunter's Bow: The History and Romance of Musical Instruments|publisher=G.P. Putnam's Sons|language=en}}</ref> is a bowed string instrument from [[North India]]. It is a form of [[veena]] used in North India with a peacock-shaped resonator called a ''mayuri'', and is played with the neck of the instrument on bow.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chib|first=Satyendra Krishen Sen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ag4KAQAAMAAJ&q=Mayuri+veena|title=Companion to North Indian Classical Music|publisher=Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers|isbn=978-81-215-1090-5|language=en}}</ref>

References to the mayuri veena have been found in [[Mālavikāgnimitram|''Malavikagnimitra'']],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bhagyalekshmy|first=S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oZLlAAAAMAAJ&q=mayuri+Malavikagnimitra+|title=Lakshanagrandhas in Music|publisher=CBH Publications|isbn=978-81-85381-13-8|language=en}}</ref> written by the [[Sanskrit]] poet [[Kalidasa]] between the 4th to 5th centuries CE.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kalidas|url=https://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/kalidas.html|access-date=2021-02-26|website=www.cs.colostate.edu}}</ref> The name ''taus'' is a [[Persian language|Persian]] translation of the word [[Peafowl|'peacock']], or ''mayura'' in Sanskrit.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kasliwal|first=Suneera|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GVsUAQAAIAAJ&q=Taus+arabic+Persian+|title=Classical Musical Instruments|publisher=Rupa|isbn=978-81-291-0425-0|language=en}}</ref>

It is believed that the taus was being played and adopted by for the Sikhs by [[Guru Hargobind]], the sixth Guru of the [[Sikhs]].

== Origin story ==
Bhai Avtar Singh, a well-known taus player and [[Ragi (Sikhism)|ragi]] who practiced the historic style of [[kirtan]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Bhai Avtar Singh|url=https://www.sikhnet.com/gurbani/artist/bhai-avtar-singh |website=Sikhnet |access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> tells the story of the invention of the Taus in the following quote:<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kaur Khalsa |first1=Nirinjan |last2=Cassio |first2=Francesca |title=Singing Dharam: Transmission of Knowledge in the Sikh Sonic Path |publisher=Lexington Books |location=Lanham |isbn=978-1498564847 |page=271 |url=https://www.academia.edu/43608552 |access-date=26 October 2021}}</ref> <blockquote>"The ''taus'' was conceived by and designed by the 6th Guru, [[Guru Hargobind|Guru Hargobind Ji]]. [...] The Guru and his Sikhs were singing outdoors under a tree enjoying God and nature. As was the old tradition, they were playing some string instruments. After a while, the musicians took a rest, and they leaned their instruments up against a tree. A peacock waddled into the group and he cried in the wailing sound that belongs only to the peacock. All of the stringed instruments resonated with the sound of the peacock cry, and the strings started humming. The sound was so ethereal and Guru Sahib liked that sound so much that he said, 'Let us design an instrument that sounds like this-- a combination of the resonation of all the string instruments and the plaintive cry of the peacock.' And that's how the ''taus'' was invented under the supervision of Guru Hargobind Ji." (who is the sixth Guru of the Sikhs)</blockquote>

== Relation to dilruba and esraj ==
[[file:Mayuri.jpg|thumb |Mayuri, 1903.]]
[[File:Photograph of Bhai Jawala Singh Ragi playing accordion (vaaja), Bhai Gurcharn Singh on Jori, and Bhai Avtar Singh on Taus at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore, ca.1935.jpg|thumb|Photograph of Bhai Jawala Singh Ragi playing [[accordion]] (vaaja), Bhai Gurcharn Singh on [[Jori (instrument)|Jori]], and Bhai Avtar Singh on Taus at [[Gurdwara Dera Sahib|Gurdwara Dehra Sahib]], [[Lahore]], ca.1935]]
The [[dilruba]] originates from the taus and is the creation of the 10th [[Sikh]] Guru, [[Guru Gobind Singh]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qxsy28eStmAC&pg=PT23 | title=Let's Know Music and Musical Instruments of India | publisher=Star Publications | last=Dutta | first=Madhumita | year=2008 | pages=22–23 | isbn=978-1-9058-6329-7}}</ref> The dilruba was designed to be a compact version of the taus, making it more convenient for the [[Sikh]] army to carry on horseback. The [[esraj]] is a modern variant of the dilruba.

==Construction==
The Taus is an instrument whose identifying characteristic is the peacock shape of the body. It is played with a bow made of horse hair. <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kipling |first1=J. L. |title=THE ART INDUSTRIES OF THE PUNJAB |journal=The Journal of Indian Art |volume=1 |issue=1–16 |pages=76–8 |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/6970182 |access-date=8 November 2021 |publisher=W. Griggs & sons |location=London|id={{ProQuest|6970182}} }}</ref> There are four main strings which are above the metal frets, which are the main strings. Only one of these strings are played with the bow.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kaur |first1=Inderjit |title=Multiple Authenticities in Motion: Styles and Stances in Sikh Sabad Kīrtan |journal=Yearbook for Traditional Music |volume=48 |page=71 |doi=10.5921/yeartradmusi.48.2016.0071 |s2cid=193661465 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/yearbook-for-traditional-music/article/multiple-authenticities-in-motion-styles-and-stances-in-sikh-sabad-kirtan/4652B12FD48851BA7FC440ABCA8D14AC |access-date=8 December 2018}}</ref> There are a number of [[Sympathetic string|sympathetic strings]] between the frets and the neck, which provide additional resonance. These are tuned according to the raag being played, in a similar manner to the [[sitar]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqrzwCODkHU YouTube video - Ustaad Ranbir Singh Ji playing taus]

{{Indian musical instruments}}

[[Category:Indian musical instruments]]
[[Category:String instruments]]
[[Category:Bowed instruments]]
[[Category: Sikh music]]

Taus (instrument) - Revision history

Abhi150898: Wrote an inspiring guide.