India has long been synonymous with exoticism, spirituality, and mystery. More a continent than a nation, it is home to over a billion people with customs, religions, artistic expressions, dances, and music that vary widely from north to south, east to west. To Western eyes, it retains an aura of the arcane, and even in today’s globalized society, it continues to captivate with the same allure that enchanted travelers centuries ago.

Music is no exception, ranging from hypnotic ragas to the danceable, Westernized beats of Bollywood, and from the mysterious scales of classical Indian music to its folk and traditional forms. The variety of genres and expressions is astonishing.

We will not delve into the technical aspects of Indian music, such as scale models, dominant notes, ascending and descending patterns, tones, semitones, and microtones, as these elements deserve a dedicated discussion.

Instead, we will focus on the use and characteristics of some Indian musical instruments, whose unique sounds and timbres unmistakably define compositions and performances. Over recent decades, these instruments have captivated musicians and audiences worldwide, thanks in part to celebrity endorsements and the rise of world music. Let’s explore some of the most typical and important Indian musical instruments.

Bansuri

The bansuri is an ancient wind instrument crafted through an intricate, traditional process using bamboo. The bamboo is cut, dried, treated with resins and oils for durability, and then perforated using heated tools. The final steps include refinement and tuning. Legend has it that this is the flute played by Krishna, the deity often depicted playing it.

This transverse flute developed independently of its Western counterparts and features holes that are covered using the phalanges of the fingers rather than the fingertips. This allows for greater precision and facilitates effects such as glissandi and tonal variations.

The bansuri can range in length from 25 to about 70 centimeters; the longer the flute, the deeper the notes it can produce. Its pitch can start from a high F for shorter bansuris and go down to a low G for longer ones.
One end of the instrument is sealed, and depending on the model, it may have six to eight holes. The blowhole, where the player breathes into, is located a few centimeters from the instrument’s closed end. Its sound is warm, enchanting, and rich in nuance.

Pakhawaj

The pakhawaj, like many Indian musical instruments, has undergone several name changes over the centuries and is still referred to differently across various regions of the vast country. It is a percussion instrument, now almost entirely replaced by the tabla, yet still significant in traditional music and the dhrupad style.

It is a large barrel-shaped drum with two heads, made from a single block of wood. The two drumheads are of different sizes, producing distinct sounds. Each drumhead is composed of two layers: one of goat skin and the other of buffalo hide, held together by a rope woven through holes along the edges of the membranes.

To tune the pakhawaj, wooden wedges are used to adjust the tension of the drumheads, which are typically tuned to intervals of a fourth or a fifth. The instrument’s sound is deeper and more resonant than that of the tabla, partly due to its larger size and playing style, which favors open-hand strokes with minimal use of the fingers.

Sarangi

The sarangi is the most renowned and significant bowed instrument in Indian music. For centuries, its sacred, almost human-like tone made it a staple in religious and devotional ceremonies.

The sarangi has an incredible expressive range, as its name translates to “hundreds of colors,” symbolizing its tonal richness. Its body is a flat, hollow wooden box; the soundboard is made of hide and supports a bridge with two types of strings: three main gut strings, typically tuned to C-G-C, and over 40 metal sympathetic strings.

The sarangi is a challenging instrument to tune, maintain, and play, given its lack of frets and a playing technique that differs significantly from instruments like the violin.

Today, the sarangi is mainly used in solo performances or as a primary accompaniment, along with percussion, for vocals.

Sitar

The sitar is perhaps the quintessential symbol of Indian music worldwide. Its captivating sound and the enthusiasm of Western musicians – such as The Beatles, George Harrison, and the Rolling Stones – for its distinctive timbre have made it globally renowned. Virtuoso players like Ravi Shankar have further cemented its status.

Typically made of rosewood and teak, the sitar measures about 120 centimeters in length, with a neck approximately 90 centimeters long and 8–10 centimeters wide. Its resonator is made from a hollowed-out gourd, covered on the open side by a thin wooden layer.

The sitar has six or seven main strings on top and 11 to 13 sympathetic strings underneath. Of the main strings, three to five are used for melody, while the rest serve as accompaniment, particularly in lower registers. The sympathetic strings, which give the sitar its “soul,” vibrate in response to the main strings without being directly played.

One of the most famous sitar models is the Ravi Shankar, which features a second resonator at the top of the neck to act as a monitor for the player. It also includes two additional low strings to extend its range by an octave.

To play the sitar, one typically sits on the floor in a defined yoga position and uses a special plectrum worn on the right index finger.

The sound, as we all know, is mesmerizing.

Tabla

The tabla is the quintessential Indian percussion instrument, used both to accompany vocals and other instruments and as a solo instrument. It draws listeners into a hypnotic rhythmic vortex before exploring complex, intricate variations. The tabla’s success stems from its synthesis of techniques from other Indian percussion instruments like the pakhawaj, dolak, and naqqara. Additionally, the tabla is primarily played with the fingers, enabling faster patterns and more tonal variety.

The tabla tradition includes an impressive number of techniques and compositions; its study is codified and passed down through six main schools, known as gharana.

The tabla set generally consists of a pair of drums: the smaller dayan, played with the right hand, is made of wood, while the larger, bassier bayan, played with the left hand, can be made of terracotta, iron, or bronze.

The two drums’ heights are similar, generally not exceeding 25–30 centimeters, while their diameters differ, with the bayan’s ranging from 13 to 26 centimeters. The drumheads and tuning systems are reminiscent of the pakhawaj, with double membranes, lacing, and tension-adjusting cylinders.

What makes the tabla unique is the syahi, a paste made from charcoal, rice flour, glue, and mineral dust, applied to the drumheads to create its characteristic timbre.

Vina or Veena

The Vina (Veena) represents a significant family of Indian stringed instruments played by plucking the strings with a plectrum or fingernails. There are several types, varying by region, but they share features such as resonating chambers, typically two hollow gourds, and a long, wide neck equipped with numerous frets.

The Vina typically has seven strings, four of which are used for melodies, while the remaining three, mounted laterally on the neck, are used for rhythm and drone effects.

To play the Vina, the player plucks the strings with two plectrums worn on the index and middle fingers of the right hand, while the pinky is used for the accompanying strings.

An alternate version of this instrument, the Vichitra Vina, lacks frets and is played similarly to a slide guitar, positioned horizontally in front of the musician.

India and Its Musical Instruments Await Discovery

A journey through the sounds of India’s main musical instruments is truly a journey into the depths of the human soul. In Indian music, the interplay between sound and spirituality is as powerful as it is inseparable. Other notable instruments from Indian culture include the sarod, skabrashingdo, sanpura, and zupor. It is hoped that this article inspires further exploration into this captivating world.