Interesting pictures of Sangli's Sitarmakers - Some have coped with the flagg- Navbharat Times Photodhamal

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Some have coped with the flagging demand by diversifying. Balasaheb Mirajkar sells 12-15 guitars a month compared to 25 sitars in a year. (Photo: Uma Kadam)

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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Some even make fusion instruments like the Zitar, a combination of the sitar and guitar popularised by Niladri Kumar (Photo: Uma Kadam)

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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Niyaz Ahmed, better known as Balasaheb Mirajkar is a fifth generation sitarmaker. His Indian Musical Shop is among the oldest at Miraj. He specialises in attaching the strings and tuning sitars and tanpuras. The base of the instruments is made from pumpkin gourds sourced from Mangalvedha in Pandharpur. (Photo: Uma Kadam)

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Some even make fusion instruments like the Zitar, a combination of the sitar and guitar popularised by Niladri Kumar. (Photo: Uma Kadam)

Pic Courtesy : BCCL

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These are some of the tools used to make the instruments. (Photo: Uma Kadam)

Pic Courtesy : BCCL