Why our jackwood rests for three years
A log that is carved too soon will crack within a year. What happens in our wood store between the tree and the chisel.
Looking after a veena through the monsoon
Damp swells the wood and softens the fret wax. A few simple habits keep a veena in tune from June to December.
Jackwood moves with the weather. In the wet months it takes in moisture and swells a little, the wax that holds the frets softens, and the strings slip out of tune faster. None of this harms a well-seasoned veena, but it helps to know what to watch.
Keep the veena in its cloth cover, away from an outside wall and away from the floor if your house takes in damp. A wooden stand that lifts it a few inches is enough. Do not wrap it in plastic, which traps moisture against the polish.
Wipe the strings after every practice with a dry cotton cloth. Sweat and damp air together rust steel strings within weeks. If the playing strings start to sound dull or feel rough, change them; a full set costs less than a single lesson.
If a fret feels loose or the note sounds flat on one fret only, the wax has moved. Do not press it back with heat at home. Bring it in or send a photo on WhatsApp; resetting one or two frets takes us about an hour and costs ₹400 a fret. When the rains end and the air turns dry in December, the wood shrinks back. Loosen the strings slightly if the veena will not be played for more than two weeks.
