The swarmandal ( ), surmandal, or Indian harp is a plucked box zither, originating from India, similar to the qanun that is today most commonly used as an accompanying instrument for vocal Indian classical music. It is part of the culture of Northern India and is used in concerts to accompany vocal music. The name combines Sanskrit words svara (notes) and maṇḍala (circle), The strings are hooked in a nail lodged in the right edge of the swarmandal and on the left are wound around tuning pegs which can be tightened with a special key. In the Mughal period, the swarmandal was seen as equivalent by the Ā'īn-i-akbarī to the qanun. He also played it on his Indian classical-style composition "Within You Without You", from the band's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
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File:Bade Ghulam Ali Khan 2003 stamp of India.jpg|Bade Ghulam Ali Khan featured on an Indian stamp with the swarmandal
File:Ustad rashid kan bharat bhavan bhopal (4).JPG|Rashid Khan playing swarmandal
File:Pandit Rajan Sajan Mishra Performing at Bharat Bhavan Bhopal 06.jpg|Pandit Rajan Mishra singing with swarmandal
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See also
- Drone (music)
- Hindustani classical music
- Zither