Indian musical instruments
Encyclopedia
Indian musical instruments can be broadly classified into four categories, mainly classical, western and folk. See Carnatic music
Carnatic music
Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

 and Hindustani music.
The instruments are further sub-classified into the type based on the science behind the same.

Plucked String Instruments of India

  • Bulbul Tarang
    Bulbul tarang
    A bulbul tarang literally "waves of nightingales", alternately Indian banjo is a string instrument from India and Pakistan which evolved from the Japanese Taishōgoto.The instrument employs two sets of strings, one set for drone, and one for melody...

  • Dotar
    Dotara
    The dotara is a two or four or some times five stringed musical instrument resembling more to mandolin than a guitar...

    , Dotora, or Dotara.
  • Ektara
    Ektara
    Ektara is a one-string instrument used in Bangladesh, India, Egypt, and Pakistan.thumb||EktaraIn origin the ektara was a regular string instrument of wandering bards and minstrels from India and is plucked with one finger...

  • Getchu Vadyam or Gettuvadyam or Gethu Vadyam or Jhallari
  • Gopichand or Gopiyantra or Khamak
  • Gottuvadhyam
    Gottuvadhyam
    The chitravina The chitravina The chitravina (also known as chitra veena, chitraveena, chitra vina, hanumad vina, or mahanataka vina, is a 20 or 21-string fretless lute Carnatic music played mainly in South India today, though its origins can be traced back to Bharata's Natya Shastra, where it is...

     or Chitravina
  • Katho
  • Rabab
  • Santoor
    Santoor
    The santoor is an ancient stringed musical instrument, native to Kashmir and Iran. It is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut, with seventy two strings. The special-shaped mallets are lightweight and are held between the index and middle fingers...

  • Sarod
    Sarod
    The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in the classical music of Hindustan...

  • Sitar
    Sitar
    The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...

  • Surbahar
    Surbahar
    Surbahar , sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of North India. It is closely related to sitar, but it has a lower tone. Depending on the instrument's size, it is usually pitched two to five whole steps below the standard sitar, but...

  • Surshringar
  • Swarabat
  • Swarmandal
  • Tambura
    Tambura
    The tambura, tanpura, or tambora is a long-necked plucked lute . The body shape of the tambura somewhat resembles that of the sitar, but it has no frets – only the open strings are played to accompany other musicians...

  • Tumbi
    Tumbi
    The Tumbi or Toombi is a traditional North Indian instrument from Punjab. The tumbi was invented and popularized by the renowned folk-singer of Punjab "Lal Chand Yamla Jatt". In the 1960s, 70s and 80s most of the Punjabi singers used the Tumbi...

  • Tuntuna
  • Magadi Veena
  • Mohan Veena
    Mohan veena
    The Mohan veena is a stringed musical instrument used in Indian classical music. It derives its name from its inventor Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt...

  • Nakula Veena
  • Rudra Veena
    Rudra veena
    See also veenaThe rudra veena is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani classical music. It is an ancient instrument rarely played today...

  • Saraswati Veena
    Saraswati veena
    The Saraswati veena is an Indian plucked string instrument. It is named after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is usually depicted holding or playing the instrument. Also known as raghunatha veena is used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music...

  • Vichitra Veena
    Vichitra veena
    The vichitra veena is a plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music. It is similar to the Carnatic gottuvadhyam . It has no frets and is played with a slide.-The structure:...


Bowed string instruments of India

  • Chikara
    Chikara
    Chikara may refer to:*力, , the Japanese word meaning power, capability, or influence* Chikara, a Shona word meaning "carnivore"* Chikara - A stringed instrument from India.*Chikara-mizu , a ritual at the beginning of a sumo match...

  • Dilruba
  • Esraj
    Esraj
    The esraj is a string instrument found in two forms throughout the north, central, and east regions of India. It is a young instrument by Indian terms, being only about 200 years old. The dilruba is found in the north, where it is used in religious music and light classical songs in the urban areas...

  • Kamaicha
  • Mayuri Vina or Taus
    Taus (instrument)
    The taus is a bowed string instrument from the north and central India, as well as from the Punjab. Taus was the work of Sri Guru Hargobind Ji . From this instrument originates the lighter dilruba. It has a peacock body sound box and a neck with 20 heavy metal frets...

  • Onavillu
    Onavillu
    The Onavillu is a simple, short bow-shaped musical instrument. Its name may come from "Onam" and "Villu", since it is used in dances in Kerala during the Onam festival, and Villu means bow...

  • Pena
    Pena
    Pena may refer to:y* Danny Pena , American soccer player* Marius Pena , Romanian soccer player* Paul Pena , American singer* Pena National Palace* Pena , Brazilian soccer player...

     or Bana
    Bana
    Bana may refer to:*Term for the Fali people, especially in Nigeria* Bana, Gabon* Bana, Guinea* Bana , a village in Rajasthan state of India* Bana , popular balladeer from Cape Verde* Bana, Hungary, village in Hungary...

  • Ravanahatha
    Ravanahatha
    The ravanahatha is a bowed fiddle popular in Western India. It is believed to have originated among the Hela civilisation of Sri Lanka in the time of King Ravana. The bowl is made of cut coconut shell, the mouth of which is covered with goat hide. A dandi, made of bamboo, is attached to this shell...

  • Sarangi
    Sarangi
    The Sārangī is a bowed, short-necked string instrument of India which is originated from Rajasthani folk instruments. It plays an important role in India's Hindustani classical music tradition...

  • Sarinda
    Sarinda
    A sarinda is a stringed Indian folk musical instrument similar to lutes or fiddles. It is played with a bow and has three strings. The bottom part of the front of its hollow wooden soundbox is covered with animal skin...

  • Tar Shehnai
  • Violin
    Violin
    The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....


Flute

  • Alghoza - double flute
  • Bansuri
    Bansuri
    The bansuri is a transverse alto flute of Bangladesh, India and Nepal made from a single hollow shaft of bamboo with six or seven finger holes. An ancient musical instrument associated with cowherds and the pastoral tradition, it is intimately linked to the love story of Krishna and Radha, and is...

  • Bombashi or Bommbanshi
  • Pullanguzhal
  • Venu
    Venu
    The venu is a bamboo transverse flute used in the Carnatic music of South India. Although it is often called Carnatic flute or simply flute in English, venu is the instrument's ancient Sanskrit name...

     (Carnatic flute)

Membranophones

  • Chande
    Chande
    The chande is a drum used in the traditional and classical music of South India and particularly in Karnataka. It provides rhythmic accompaniment in several dance dramas of South India such as Yakshagana. It follows the Yakshagana Tala system...

  • Chenda
    Chenda
    The Chenda is a cylindrical percussion instrument used widely in the state of Kerala, and Tulu Nadu of Karnataka State in India. In Tulu Nadu it is known as Chande....

  • Dhad
    Dhad sarangi
    The dhad is a small hourglass-shaped drum of the Damru style. Held in one hand, it is struck on either side, with the other hand holding the skinned sides vertically or horizontally...

  • Damru
  • Dhol
    Dhol
    Dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...

  • Dholak
    Dholak
    The Dholak is a North Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese double-headed hand-drum Madal. The name dholki may also refer to a slightly different instrument that uses high-pitch tabla style syahi masala on its treble skin. This instrument is also known as Naal or Dholki....

  • Dollu
    Dollu
    - Meaning :Dollu is a musical instrument similar to musical drums but several times bigger and heavier.- Make :'Dollu' is made of either sheep or goats skin. It is fit tightly to a frame made of honne or mango tree wood. Dollu Kunitha is popular with the Kuruba Gowdas of 'Beereshwara Sampradaya'...

  • Duggi
    Duggi (drum)
    The duggi, dugi or dukkar, is an indian drum, with a kettle drum shape, played with fingers and palm of the hand. It is a folk drum in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab ....

  • Esraj
    Esraj
    The esraj is a string instrument found in two forms throughout the north, central, and east regions of India. It is a young instrument by Indian terms, being only about 200 years old. The dilruba is found in the north, where it is used in religious music and light classical songs in the urban areas...

  • Ghat singhari or gadasingari
  • Ghumot
    Ghumot
    The Ghumot or Ghumat is a percussion instrument from Goa, India. Ghumat is an instrument of earthen vessel having both sides open; on the bigger opening a leather of monitor lizard is mounted...

    , gummeta
  • Gubguba
    Gubguba
    The gubguba, also known as guba, gopijantro, gubgubi, ananda lahari, premtal, khamak, chonka and jamidika, is an Indian percussion string instrument....

  • Idakka
    Idakka
    The idakka , also spelt edaykka, is an hourglass-shaped drum from Kerala in south India. This handy percussion instrument is very similar to the pan-Indian damaru. While the damaru is played by rattling knotted cords against the resonators, the idakka is played with a stick...

  • Khol
    Khol
    The khol also known as a mrdanga or mridanga is a terracotta two-sided drum used in northern and eastern India for accompaniment with devotional music...

  • Maddale
    Maddale
    The maddale is a percussion instrument from Karnataka, India. It is the primary rhythmic accompaniment in a Yakshagana ensemble along with Chande. Maddale used in Yakshagana looks similar to Mridangam but is markedly different in structure, acustics, playing techniques and the rhythm system ....

  • Mizhavu
    Mizhavu
    A mizhav or mizhavu is a big copper drum played as an accompanying percussion instrument in the Koodiyattam and Koothu, performing arts of Kerala . It is played by the Ambalavasi Nambiar community.The drum is played only with hands...

  • Mridangam
  • Nagara - pair of kettledrums
  • Pakhavaj
    Pakhavaj
    The pakhavaj, pakhawaj, pakuaj, pakhvaj or pakavaj is an Indian barrel-shaped, two-headed drum, the North Indian equivalent to the Southern mridangam....

  • Pakhavaj jori - sikh instrument similar to tabla
  • Pambai
    Pambai
    The pambai or pamba is a pair of cylindrical drums used in temple festivals and folk music in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, India.There is a community in southern Andhra who specialize in playing this instrument: the Pambalas....

     - unit of two cylindrical drums
  • Panchamukha vadyam
    Panchamukha vadyam
    The Panchamukha Vadyam is a drum from India. It is a metal drum with five faces , named after the faces of Siva: Sadyojatam, Isanam, Tatpurusham, Aghoram and Vamadevam. The diameter of the central face is at a slightly larger than those of the peripheral faces. The instrument is played with both...

  • Pung
  • Shuddha madalam or Maddalam
  • Stick daff or stick duff - daff in a stand played with sticks
  • Tabala / tabl / chameli - goblet drum
  • Tabla
    Tabla
    The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...

  • Tabla tarang - set of tablas
  • Tasha - type of kettledrum
  • Tamak'
    Tamak'
    The tamak' is a stick-struck double-headed drum of the Santal people of India. The body of the drum is made from metal and shaped like a large bowl. The head of the drum is usually cowhide and 14-18 inches in diameter. The player strikes the drum with a pair of drum sticks...

  • Tamte
  • Thanthi Panai
  • Tumbak
  • Thavil
    Thavil
    The thavil or tavil is a barrel shaped drum from South India. It is used in temple, folk and Carnatic music, often accompanying the nadaswaram. The thavil and the nadaswaram are essential ingredients of traditional festivals and ceremonies in South India.The thavil consists of a cylindrical shell...

  • Urumee
    Urumee
    The urumee is a double-headed hourglass-shaped drum from the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. Two skin heads are attached to a single hallow, often intricately carved wooden shell. The preferred wood is jackwood, although other wood may be used...

  • Udukai
    Udukai
    The udukai is a drum used in folk music and prayers in South India. This comes in the Carnatic classical music of India.The Damru in the hands of Lord Shiva is also referred to as Udukkai....


  • Frame drums

    • Daff, duff, daf or duf - medium or large frame drum without jingles, of persian origin
    • Dimdi or dimri - small frame drum without jingles
    • Kanjira
      Kanjira
      The kanjira, khanjira or ganjira, a South Indian frame drum, is an instrument of the tambourine family. It is used primarily in concerts of Carnatic music as a supporting instrument for the mridangam...

       - small frame drum with one jingle
    • Kansi - small without jingles
    • Parai thappu
      Thappu
      For thappu hand drum, see patayani thappu.The thappu, thapu, dappu or parai drum is a frame drum of India.It consists of a circular wood frame with one end closed with cow skin membrane and the other end open. Thappu is played with two sticks, being one larger and thinner than the other one...

       - medium frame drum played with two sticks
    • Patayani thappu
      Patayani thappu
      For thappu stick drum, see thappu.Patayani thappu is an Indian frame drum with a wooden rim covered with leather on one side. It is played with the hands, as opposed to parai thappu, that is played with sticks...

       - medium frame drum played with hands

    Idiophones

    • Chimpta - a fire tong with brass jingles
    • Chengila
      Chengila
      The chengila or cennala is a percussion instrument of India. It is a type of gong that helps the singer keep time in many traditional art forms of Kerala. A ringing sound is produced when it is struck with a stout wand when hung freely, while a flat tone is produced when it is in contact with the...

    • Elathalam
      Elathalam
      Elathalam, or Ilathalam, is a metallic musical instrument which resembles a miniature pair of cymbals. This instrument from Kerala in southern India is completely made out of bronze and has two pieces in it....

    • Ghatam
      Ghatam
      The ghaṭam is a percussion instrument used in the Carnatic music of South India. Its analogue in Rajasthan is known as the madga and pani mataqa "water jug"....

       and Matka
    • Ghungroo
      Ghungroo
      A Ghungroo, also known as Ghunghroo or Ghunghru or Salangai is one of many small metallic bells strung together to form Ghungroos, a musical anklet tied to the feet of classical Indian dancers. The sounds produced by Ghungroos vary greatly in pitch depending on their metallic composition and size...

    • Khartal
      Khartal
      A khartal or kartal is a percussion instrument of India.1. Kartals . It consist of a pair of wooden blocks with jingles or crotales . One pair is used in one hand of the musician. These pieces can be clapped together at high speeds to make fast complex beats.2. Kartals ...

    • Manjira or jhanj or tala
    • lithophone Sankarjang
      Sankarjang
      Sankarjang , Orissa, India is an archaeological site near Angul, a former cemetery and settlement with large, splendid worked stones...


    Melodic
    • Jal tarang
      Jal tarang
      The Jal Tarang , Jaltarang, Jal-tarang, Jal-yantra, Jalatarangam or Jalatharangam, is an Indian melodic percussion instrument. It consists of a set of ceramic bowls tuned with water...

      , ceramic bowls with water
    • Kanch tarang, a type of glass harp
      Glass harp
      A glass harp is an instrument made of upright wine glasses....

    • Kashta tarang, a type of xylophone
      Xylophone
      The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...

    • Loh tarang
      Loh tarang
      The loh tarang is a melodic percussion instrument. It consists of a set of iron circular plates, of different sizes, held in a frame. Each plate is pitched to a note and they are struck with sticks on each hand. 'Tarang' literally means waves.-References:...

      , a set of metallic plates

    Sound Samples

    Sound Samples of Indian Instruments (non-commercial page) Courtesy of www.superbrass.com

    External links

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