Rubab is a dazzling musical instrument that is played on Nawroz to celebrate the spring season with Iranian swirls and the echoes of lost melodies. Rubab happens to be a lesser-known instrument that brings back the glittering legacy of past on the Persian 'New Year'.
The announcement rituals with 'Daf', vibrant musical performances with Rubab, and ethnic dances are regarded as sublime traditions to rekindle musical miracles on auspicious occasions.
Lost In History
Rubab was introduced in AD 872-950, with a close resemblance to 'Tanbur'. Currently, it's the national musical instrument of Afghanistan, with wide-scale popularity in Pakistan and India.
This instrument was included in Indian classical musical instruments during the 14th or 15th centuries, but it reached its epitome during the 16th century. The compact, fascinating structure beefs up its similarity with 'Rudra-Veena'.
Kashmir and Punjab have treasured the legacy of this lost art with strings of hope and humanity. Pashtuns, Balochis, and Sindhis also embrace the dreamy waves of Rubab.
A Syncretic Instrument In Three Popular Forms
The small 'Warukay' comes with 5 strings; on the other hand, the 'Mianzanai' Rubab flourishes with 19 luminous strings and 13 sympathetic strings, while the 'Shah Rabab' contains 15 strings with an enormous range of tones, sounds and deep notes of melody.
Apart from being an ethereal euphoria during the 'Haft-sin', Rubab has been a part of 'Sikh' culture with elegant syncretic and lyrical Indian values.
Versions and Fame
From Kabuli and Seni Rubab to Arabic and Indian Rubab, musical innovation has travelled through the golden lanes of time and culture to compliment and absorb the ethnic ripples of different landscapes. The fame and charm of Rubab are meant to diminish the trenches and differences.
Old Instrumental Traditions In Internet Revolution
The Rubab stands far from the dais of chaotic mad noises, like an aroma that spreads on the verge of daybreak or like a flask of fragrance that you can sniff in between the melting boundaries of purple memories and yellow daydreams.
With the upsurge of Internet revolution, several lost beats have come back to stream with a reverberation of rolling concerns. Now you can endorse local Rubab enthusiasts who walk with tuneful romanticism of the most played Bollywood and Hollywood songs to serve a scrumptious blend of contemporary stream with ancient sagacity.
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