Simphadipura is a small hamlet located approximately 50 kilometers from the capital region of Bangalore, where the art of crafting wooden veenas has been passed down for generations.          

Pennahobalappa, aged 103, learned the craft in Magadi from Ranganna. Later, he worked in Bangalore before ultimately returning to his village.

There are around 20 families engaging in this traditional veena making in the village. In fact, this is the only village documented for traditional veena making in Karnataka.

The veena consists of two main parts: the bridge and the resonator. These craftsmen carefully select fine jackfruit wood for carving the resonators and other parts of the veena. Jackfruit wood is delicately carved when it is slightly wet; once it becomes hard, it becomes very difficult to carve. Some customers also request customization with beete mara (rosewood) on top of the resonator (thumba).

Initially, they scoop out the excess wood from the round shape of the wood to create the hollow section, which is called the resonator and it’s the largest part of the Veena. These craftsmen specialize in adorning the resonator with intricate designs using hand tools. At the end of the bridge, they incorporate the mythical creature, yaali, carved from wood. In traditional Mysore Veena, the yaali’s teeth were often decorated with ivory (now with ivory substitutes).

They use a combination of traditional equipment and modern cutting tools for woodworking, including files, wood mallets, and chisels.  In the past, natural materials were predominantly used, whereas today, synthetic resins and other modern materials are utilized. Smoothing the surface involves scraping and sanding with sandpaper. Cracks are treated by applying a mixture of jack wood husk, pop powder, yellow colour powder, and adhesive. Once the mixture dries, another round of sanding is done.  To camouflage these repairs, craftsmen meticulously apply a thin layer of solution containing adhesive and yellow colour powder over the surface of the Veena.”

Once the basic veena is complete with woodwork, it is sold to renowned shops in Bangalore, such as Aruna Musicals, Ganesh Musicals, and Nataraja Musicals. Here, traditional Carnatic music experts handle the stringing process, leveraging their musical expertise to ensure precise string placement according to notes.

These ten families are seeking support from the Karnataka Government, as there is currently no subsidy available to assist with the purchase of machinery and other necessities to sustain this traditional business in Karnataka.

Shiva is an avid field explorer of history and the environment and is Project Field Researcher at FAIR.