Chikara (instrument) explained

Chikara
Image Capt:	Chikara (second from left in foreground, #220) in the Horniman museum, London, UK.
Background:	string
Classification:	String instrument
Hornbostel Sachs Desc:	Composite chordophone
Related:	Chikari

The chikara is a bowed stringed musical instrument from India used to play Indian folk music. It is used by the tribal people of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Description

The chikara is a simple spike fiddle played, similarly to the sarangi or sarinda, by sliding fingernails on the strings rather than pressing them to touch the fingerboard.^[1] It has 3 strings, two horse hair and one steel,^[2] in 3 courses and is tuned C, F, G.

Ambiguity

The term "chikara" is often used ambiguously to describe a variety of unrelated folk fiddles of northern India.^[3]

Related Instruments

• Chikari, smaller version of chikara.
• Sarangi

Notes and References

1. Web site: Indian Musical Instruments (Vaadya) . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120906024459/http://www.schoolofindianmusic.com/imi2.htm . 6 September 2012 . 18 September 2012.
2. Web site: Indian Heritage - Music - String Instruments . 18 September 2012.
3. Web site: Music of India . 18 September 2012 . 4 May 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120504084721/http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/chikara.html . dead .