Kanai Lal & Sons
Sitars, tanpuras, santoor and electric sitars from Kanai Lal & Sons of Kolkata, one of the long established names in Indian string making. Every instrument is strung and set up in our Delhi workshop before it ships.
Choosing yours
Kanai Lal sitars are best known in Ravi Shankar style, with the second gourd and the lower kharaj strings that give a full instrumental voice. They also build Vilayat Khan style instruments, which drop the second gourd for a brighter tone closer to the singing voice.
The decoration names are worth understanding, because they tell you about the build as well as the look. Gulab patta is rose leaf carving, kaddu patta gourd leaf, angur patta grape leaf, and khajoor patta date palm. Heavier carving takes longer and generally uses better wood, so a fully decorated instrument tends to be built to a higher standard throughout.
Their tanpuras run from full size male instruments down to tanpuri. As with any tanpura, match the size to the singer rather than the player: a male tanpura under a female voice will fight it.
The Kanai Lal santoor and electric sitar are smaller parts of the range. The santoor is a hammered box zither with a very long sustain, and the electric sitar is built for stage and studio where a traditional instrument cannot be mic'd cleanly.
Tuning and setup
We string every instrument to its designed gauges and cut the jawari by hand before it ships. On a sitar or tanpura the jawari, the curved bridge surface, is what produces the buzzing overtone that makes the instrument sound like itself. Badly cut jawari makes a good instrument sound dead.
Expect to retune on arrival. Strings stretch and pegs move in transit, and an instrument that arrives at perfect pitch has usually been shipped under too much tension. Bring it up over a day or two.
Sympathetic strings are retuned to the scale of whatever raga you are playing, so they get adjusted often. They also break more readily than main strings. Keep a spare set.
Jawari wears with playing. After a year or two of serious practice the buzz dulls and the bridge needs recutting by a specialist. Routine maintenance, not damage.
Care and climate
The gourd is the fragile part. Dry heated air can shrink it and open a seam, which is the most common problem on instruments shipped into cold-winter countries. Keep the sitar away from radiators and vents, and consider a room humidifier.
Slacken the strings if the instrument is going into storage for more than a few weeks. Left at full tension for a year, the neck will pull.
Store the instrument in its case when it is not being played, but not sealed damp. Wipe the strings after playing, since sweat is what kills them.
Questions we get asked
What is gulab patta on a Kanai Lal sitar?
Rose leaf carving. Along with kaddu patta, angur patta and khajoor patta, it describes the decorative style. Heavier carving generally accompanies better wood and a more careful build.
Are Kanai Lal sitars suitable for beginners?
Their student models are, and they play correctly and hold tune. The concert instruments reward a player who has developed, and the difference in sustain becomes audible as your technique improves.
Ravi Shankar or Vilayat Khan style?
Ravi Shankar style has a second gourd and lower strings for a fuller instrumental voice. Vilayat Khan style is brighter and closer to the singing voice. Match whichever your teacher plays, since fingering and repertoire follow the instrument.
Which tanpura size do I need?
Match the tanpura to the singer's range, not the player's preference. Male tanpuras are longer and lower, female shorter and higher, and a tanpuri is smaller again for travel and instrumental accompaniment.
Does the instrument come with a case?
Concert instruments are supplied with a fibre trolley case. Smaller instruments come with a padded bag. The listing for each instrument states what is included.