The harmonium is the only instrument most Sikhs have ever experienced Sikh Kirtan through. It came into India via Portuguese missionaries as a more portable alternative to the church organ. The contribution the harmonium has made to Kirtan is huge. This is because it enables a Kirtani to learn to perform a Shabad within two weeks or so. As the harmonium became more popular traditional stringed instruments started to go extinct, which is a fascinating thing. I attended a Divan where 17 Namdharis