Sarangi Lessons · Varanasi, India

Learn Sarangi the way it was taught on the ghats of Varanasi — online or in person

Baba School of Music has trained classical Indian bow strings students from over 40 countries since 1995. Get 1:1 online classes, intensive raag riyaz programs, authentic gut-string bowing mechanics training, and professional hand-carved sarangi instruments shipped securely to your door — worldwide.

30+Years Teaching
50,000+Students Trained, Worldwide
⭐ 4.9On Google
Book a Free Trial Class See Course Pricing
About Our Sarangi Program

One traditional school, two crafts: mastering the sarangi and hand-building it

“ Where you learn matters as much as how you learn. ”

Hand-carved in Varanasi,
played around the world

Our traditional luthiers hollow, skin, and fine-tune every single Indian classical sarangi block on-site before it is cleared for student practice or international shipping.

Sarangi Shop: Custom-Made,
Tuned & Shipped Worldwide

Meticulously hollowed by master craftsmen out of single blocks of seasoned tun or teak wood and surfaced with natural goat skin. Set up with heavy-gauge main gut strings and responsive steel sympathetic resonators, every instrument is fine-tuned for rich acoustic gayaki resonance.

  • 1
    Custom-built to traditional dimensions (standard size or travel-friendly frames)
  • 2
    Seasoned hardwood core & authentic hide membranes (cured 18+ months)
  • 3
    Hand-filed bone bridge pieces and precision internal sympathetic tuning pins
  • 4
    Heavy-duty shockproof flight casing with worldwide express tracking
  • 5
    Initial string setups, premium replacement gut packs, & lifetime structural support
Worldwide Shipping Pre-Tuned Tuning Jawari & Re-Stringing
Browse Sarangi Shop
1995— School Founded
100%— In-House Tuned
40+— Countries Shipped To
Online Sarangi Classes Pricing

Choose your sarangi learning path

Every digital program begins with a live private orientation class so you can interact with your guru and plan your curriculum before processing payments. Select your home region below to view packages structured for domestic or international scholars.

1 MONTH

Beginner Start

Demystify basic bowing lines and finger-sliding placements.

INR / bundle
6,000
  • 8 live classes
  • 1 hour per class
  • 2 classes every week
  • Focuses on finger-cut positioning
Book Class
3 MONTHS

Practice Plan

Develop strong intonation across scales and simple sargam patterns.

INR / bundle
15,000
  • 24 live classes
  • 1 hour per class
  • 2 classes every week
  • Steady ragas instruction tracks
Book Class
6 MONTHS Recommended

Growth Bundle

For students looking to match the continuous fluidity of the human vocal style.

INR / bundle
28,000
  • 48 live classes
  • 1 hour per class
  • 2 classes every week
  • Advanced microtonal meend mechanics
Book Class
12 MONTHS

Annual Riyaz

An immersive multi-raga blueprint for serious bowed classical instrumentalists.

INR / bundle
50,000
  • 96 live classes
  • 1 hour per class
  • 2 classes every week
  • Complete concert repertoire training
Book Class
Courses & Free Certification

Start free. Upgrade only when you're ready.

Unsure if navigating the fretless neck of the sarangi matches your musical goals? Enroll in our open access preparatory module. This is a comprehensive, standalone instructional program — not a marketing clip — and includes an accredited completion certificate to enhance your performance resume or artistic profile.

Free Sarangi Foundation Course + Certificate

A structured, self-guided orientation module covering advanced sarangi structural anatomy (including the cut-away sound box and leather bridge supports), standard tuning targets, optimal seating postures, painless fingernail-sliding practices, and foundational Hindustani sargam vocal matching patterns. Complete the lessons, submit a short video check-in to a guru, and unlock your digital certificate with zero ongoing obligations.

Sarangi Anatomy & Setup Bowing & Scales Basics Raag Articulation Tracks Advanced Gayaki Ang Riyaz
Common Questions From Students

What people actually ask before joining a sarangi class

1:1

What are 1:1 sarangi classes?

Exclusive, one-on-one video deep-dives with a dedicated Banaras Gharana maestro. Your online guru observes and adjusts your bow weight, horizontal wrist relaxation, and vertical fingernail slide paths in real time, building custom riyaz drills specific to your unique hand layout.

रि

What is the Sarangi Riyaz Program?

Riyaz stands for absolute focused, ritualistic daily training. This intensive 3-month framework is designed to quickly build intonation precision, covering historical raga profiles, targeted bowing stamina intervals, and weekly pitch check-ins by your assigned instructor.

🎭

What is Group Performance training?

Interactive group workshops focused on timekeeping alongside active tabla accompaniment. Students learn how to support thumri vocal compositions, match cyclical laya (tempo) frameworks, and gain confidence for acoustic classical recitals.

Who Is This For

Who can learn sarangi at Baba School of Music?

🌱

Beginners

No prior musical background required. We systematically walk you through bow weights, tuning steps, and initial notes.

🧒

String Players

Violinists, cellists, and modern string instrumentalists wanting to explore microtonal Eastern glides.

💼

Working Professionals

Flexible scheduling, evening slots, and straightforward cancellation features tailored around busy corporate schedules.

✈️

Global Travelers

Classes conducted entirely in clear English with specialized short-term in-person intensives right here in Varanasi.

🔥

Determined Souls

Age and background are completely irrelevant. Passion, hand coordination, and daily practice are all that matter.

If you're passionate and willing to practice — you can learn sarangi here.

Meet Your Guruji
Anish Mishra

Anish Mishra

Sarangi Virtuoso & Scholar · Gold Medalist & AIR B-High Grade Artist · Independent Sarangi Professional since 2010

Anish Mishra is an award-winning classical Indian Sarangi player, performer, and composer. He holds a Master's degree in Music and a prestigious Gold Medal from Prayag Sangit Samiti (Allahabad), alongside a National Scholarship from the Government of India. Anish has been trained under the legendary, world-class Sarangi maestro Pt. Kanhaiya Lal Mishra.

Recognized as an All India Radio (AIR) B-High Grade artist, Anish has performed extensively as a soloist, in group ensembles, and alongside top-level international musicians. An accomplished educator, he teaches classical, semi-classical, devotional, and folk styles, sharing his profound bowing expertise with students globally.

Verified Reviews

What our percussion students say on Google

Students practicing classical percussion at Baba School of Music G Google Review
★★★★★

The classical percussion training at Baba School of Music Varanasi was phenomenal. Learning how to balance palm stroke weights and execute pristine open sounds right by the Ganges altered my entire perspective on rhythm.

Martin Ferrabee
Pakhawaj Student · Verified Google Review
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Pakhawaj student during an intensive session G Google Review
★★★★★

The highlight of my exploration in India. The school custom-made a brilliant Sheesham pakhawaj for me and guided my initial stroke mechanics with immense patience. A highly competent, profound environment.

Grant Easdon
Pakhawaj Student · Verified Google Review
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A student working on advanced percussive compositions G Google Review
★★★★★

Incredibly attentive and flexible. We set up combined online lessons after visiting the Varanasi academy physically. Their focus on authentic style maintenance while staying accessible is remarkable.

Elodie Taloub
Pakhawaj Student · Verified Google Review
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FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions About Learning Sarangi

Is the sarangi hard to learn for absolute beginners?
The sarangi is considered a highly expressive and challenging stringed instrument because it is entirely fretless and played by sliding the cuticles or upper fingernails laterally against the heavy gut strings, rather than pressing them down. However, with our systematic 1:1 training methodology and 20 to 30 minutes of targeted daily riyaz, most absolute beginners cleanly sound basic sargam notes and articulate simple raga patterns within 8 to 12 weeks.
Do I need to buy an instrument before booking my free trial session?
No, you do not need to own a personal instrument for your introductory trial class. The initial lesson is designed to map out basic pitch concepts, standard time cycles (taal), and structural bowing hand mechanics. If you choose to continue your education, our Varanasi workshop will craft and set up a premium seasoned wood instrument tailored to your hand dimensions, which we can safely ship worldwide.
How do online sarangi lessons work over video calls?
Our online 1:1 modules on Zoom are specifically engineered for bowed instruments. We utilize specialized multi-camera setups that display close-up views of both the fingernail sliding track and the right-hand bowing angles. High-fidelity directional microphones capture the warm acoustic resonance of the skin chamber and sympathetic strings, and you receive complete class video recordings to guide your practice between sessions.
What is the correct way to tune a professional classical sarangi?
A standard Indian sarangi features three thick, primary playing strings made of natural gut or heavy nylon, which are traditionally tuned to the tonic (Sa), the lower fourth or fifth (Pa or Ma), and the lower octave tonic (Sa). Underneath these main strings rest up to 35 thin steel sympathetic strings (tarabs). These are carefully tuned using a tuning key to map the exact scale steps of the specific classical raga you are practicing, creating a beautiful, natural reverb effect.
Does your training school offer formal certifications?
Yes, our foundational training tracks offer accredited digital completion certificates directly through Baba School of Music. For long-term students enrolled in our advanced 1:1 and intensive annual riyaz tracks, we also fully prepare you for official classical degree examinations held by recognized central institutions like Prayag Sangit Samiti.
How is the instrument packaged to ensure it arrives safely overseas?
Every instrument is carved from structurally stable, single blocks of seasoned tun or teak hardwood to prevent cracking during climate shifts. We loosen string tension slightly before shipping to protect the delicate bridge and goat-skin sound box, securely wrap the frame in shock-absorbent acoustic thermal layers, place it inside a heavy-duty flight case, and ship it via premium international courier with complete door-to-door tracking.

Your first sarangi lesson is free

Book a no-cost private orientation class with a Baba School of Music guru — online from anywhere across the globe, or live at our traditional Varanasi training center.

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