‘Sarinda’ exhibition ends on high note in Mymensingh

An exhibition of century-old musical instrument "sarinda" at Mymensingh city has made hundreds of visitors enthusiastic.

Sarinda is a stringed folk musical instrument similar to lutes or fiddles. It is played with a bow and has between 10 and 20 strings. The bottom part of the front of its hollow wooden soundbox is covered with animal skin. It is played while sitting on the ground in a vertical orientation.

The three-day exhibition, marking International Museum Day, was held at Asian Music Museum in city's Kanchijuly area. It concluded on Friday night.

The exhibition also included "puthi path", rendition of baul songs, musical soiree for children and playing of instruments.

Organised by NOVICE Foundation and Mymensingh Baul Samity, the event was coordinated by artiste Joyeta Orpa and Jawata Afnan.

A total of 12 sarinda collected by Rezaul Karim Aslam from different parts of the country was exhibited at the venue.

Aslam, who is involved in making musical instrument, started collecting various kinds of rare musical instruments since 2006.

Talking to this correspondent, Aslam said he collected some sarinda from Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Gouripur of Mymensingh.

The instruments were found at cowsheds or kitchens and were left uncared for, he said.

With a view to preserving these instruments, Aslam took the initiative and he is repairing this instruments. Aslam said there is a serious scarcity of makers of these instruments.

Appreciating the exhibition, first of its kind in Mymensingh region, veteran baul artiste Sunil Karmakar said stressed the need for preserving such traditional musical instruments.