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MUSIC

Musical instruments


String Instruments

Banam:
a single string instrument is played with a stick - is used by the tribes of Bihar

Chikara: a three stringed (two horse hair and one steel) instrument - is used by tribal people from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh

Dilruba: an instrument with four main and eleven sympathetic strings - used mainly in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Kamancha: is used by folk singers of Rajasthan

Ektara: a simple instrument used during religious chanting and bhajans by sages and saints

Gottuvadyam: is similar to the veena, but without the frets - is played by gliding a stick on the strings

Kinnari: an instrument that is considered to have been played by the celestial beings Kinnara (half bird)

Mahati: the veena that is considered to have been played by sage Narada

Rabab: the instrument that was used by Tansen

Ravanahatta: the instrument that Ravana is supposed to have invented - still popular in Rajasthan

Santoor: an instrument with several strings (60-100) is played using two curved sticks

Sarangi: has three main strings and around 30-40 sympathetic strings

Sarinda: used by the Langas of Rajasthan

Sarod: the upper finger board has a plate of burnished steel - has seven principal strings - has no frets

Sitar: similar to veena - there are three varieties single sitar, double sitar and double gourd sitar

Tambura: provides the drone - continuously provides a particular base sound

Veena: a South Indian classical intrument - has four main strings

Violin: used as an accompaniment to classical and light music - also solo performances - played with a bow