Sarangi

The name Sarangi is said to mean 'sau rang' (100 colours) or 'sa rang'(colours whatever it touches).It is the most important bowed bowed instrument of North Indian music.Like most stringed instruments the sarangi has a wooden sound box.It's fingerboard is without frets and the sarangi is therefore a blind instrument.The ivory bridge through which the strings pass is placed upon leather parchment that is streached across the bottom half of the sound box.The sarangi has three main playing strings made of gut and thirty-six resonating (or sympathetic) metal strings,which are tuned to the notes of the particular Raga being played.This instrument is not played by stopping the strings with the fingers but is played with the fingernails.This allows subtle glides and embellishments, which are so close to the human voice.
Guru Hargobind Shahib promoted the use of the sarangi through Dhadee's(heroic ballad singers).