Overseas demand keeps Nuzvid veena alive

A significant rise in demand for Nuzvid veena from Malaysia, Singapore and USA is bringing the rural industry out from its slow death.

The huge demand from foreign nationals and non-resident Indians for the music instrument is a a welcoming trend to attract the youth into the art form.

“On an average, 25 overseas orders have been flowing in for our veena every year for the past few years. Most of them are from USA, Malaysia and Singapore. Foreign nationals who are learning the instrument are also after it,” veena maker Sheik Mabu Saheb told

The Hindu .

Given the dwindling number of veena makers from 20 a few years ago to barely nine now, they mostly attach no importance to orders whose purpose is to use it as a gift article or an interior decorative item.

Veena makers are not able to respond to the calls for repairing the instrument both from India and abroad, leaving hundreds of veenas go mute for years.

“When the art is in for a slow death due to lack of patronage, overseas orders will help revive the art form in coming years,” said Mr. Mabu Saheb, son of Sheik Meera Saheb, one of the first generation Nuzvid veena makers.

Manufacturing cost

“Obtaining permissions from the forest authorities at the check-posts to transport jackfruit wood from Godavari districts became a hurdle for us, leading to increase in manufacturing cost,” complain Nuzvid Veena makers. “Given scope for marketing avenues in future, I am persuading youths to learn the art, and also grooming my son in veena making,” Mr. Mabu Saheb, a State-award artisan told The Hindu .

The price of a professional Veena is around Rs. 20,000 a piece.