Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 2.djvu/198

 MIRASSEES. (107)

IRASSEES, or minstrels, are not a reputable class of people, and are generally employed by dancing girls to play to them, when engaged to dance or sing at nautches. They attend festivals also, and play their instruments at marriages and bhths. They are common in the district of Moradabad. They wear bright-colom'cd clothes trimmed with lace, and tinselled skull caps. They swarm at Rampoor and in all native states, and the ex-king of Oude kept them in large numbers to attend his dances. After the rebellion, all the Mirassees of the court of Lucknow went over to the Nawab of Rampoor.

The principal native musical instruments are the surinda, or violin; the choutura, or guitar; tuphla, or drum; and the sunod. The last is the leading instrument, and is sounded with a plectum, like other native guitars. The surmda plays in unison with it, while the choutura forms a kind of bass accompaniment. The mens' voices occasionally chime in with the au', and again leave room for some ad libitum movements of the chief performer, who then exerts all his energy in rapid, impassioned execution, wagging his head with every intonation, until his enraptured audience applaud him with the flattering "wall wah, sha-bash, sha-bash!"

The dexterity displayed in these passages is often very extraorduiarv, and their effect is by no means unpleasing.

None of the stringed instruments in use among the natives have either the power of the violin or the mellowness of the guitar; they rather resemble in sound the hurdy-gurdy and the mandoline. The surinda, however, which has catgut strings, and is played with a bow like a violin, has a sweet mellow tone, which nearly resembles that of the human voice, and forms a pleasing accompaniment to singers. In skilful hands these instruments are capable of much expression: and the soft, melancholy cadence of Hindoostanee music accords very agreeably with the languid influence of an Oriental climate. To those desirous of acquaitance with the science of Hindoo music, the Essays of Sir William Jones will be found interesting and instructive.