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Khartal
Khartal comes under Indian percussion instrument category, which is given different names in different regions, basically it is a pair of hard wooden blocks with small bells or jingles fixed on them, when both of them held in one hand are struck to make sound to go with vocal music or the music of the main instrument that, this instrument is called Kartals in Rajasthan, also Manjeera, used during devotional chanting and dancing along, while in Maharashtra region it is called Chipdya very important instrument used during Bhajans or Kirtans, while the popular names it carries include Ghungroo, Khartal, Gheeka, and Manjira .
Origin of Khartal
The music instrument Kartal is very ancient, as one looks into the figure of Saint Naradh depicted and described in vedic or puranic texts, he would always be singing with a set of clapping blocks, which are apparently Kartal category, it is considered as a ‘ghanvadya’ used by devotees during devotional dances and songs, or during Musical discourses of divine stories called Harikatha rendering, while most of the parts of India has it as two blocks held in the hand of the player, in Bengal, it is in the form of brass finger cymbals, about three inches or more in length, used during GaudiyaVaishnavaKirtans taking place in this region.
Design
Khartal is a simple form of instrument, coming mostly in wood, sometimes in metal, just to be held in hand , one of them referred as ‘male’ and the other ‘female’, the player making them clap together for raising rhythmic sound in music, a kind of idiophone of self-sounding instrument, its parts functioning as vibrator and resonator.
One part of Khartal is clung to the thumb of the player, mostly the male part, while the other part is stuck to the ring finger of the same hand, the blocks with its jingling metal balls decorated in them, when clapped make such a rhythm that goes with the Kirtan or bhajan, positioning Khartal blocks in this manner is interpreted astrologically, as the ring finger representing fire element, associated with Sund and the root chakra, providing sustained strength, power, stamina and assertiveness for the player.
Playing Positions
Khartal being a basic percussion support for the main music, enthusing the player and those around to involve in music they are rendering, the player just holds it in one’s right or left hand, some very proficient players keeping them in both the hands, striking the blocks on and again according to the required rhythm, most of the times the player will either in a standing posture, if not dancing in a group, and it is one of the essential properties during Bhajan or Kirtan, which is the religious group singing among Hindus and Sikhs.
Notable Players
ShriGazi Khan Sahib belonging to the Barna village of Rajasthan is a noted Khartal player, who developed a strong passion to play Khartal right from his age of eight, who had performed Khartal concerts at the National and International level, while there are wonderful Khartal users in every City or village of India.
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